Precious Destruction
by He's No Angel
Summary: Takes place after the club scene in Benediction. Angel's teaching and Connor's slowly learning: about love, touch, family, and fear. Kuz Connor is now afraid. Daddy cant protect him from what he's hiding himself. Chap 6! Plus, a note 2 a fan
1. Fragile Faces

**(DISCLAIMERS): DONT OWN EM. NOBUDDY OWNS CONNOR!**

**(A/N):_ WOW, what kan I tell u? I luv Connor. The song is PRECIOUS from the DEPECHE MODE. It was in my other fik, but here, it sounds WAY more fitting. _**

_**This fik takes place during "Benediction" of season 3. Connor is 15. Holtz never returned with him kuz he was burnt 2 death in Quor-toth (I'll explain later). Cordelia is still with Groo- I dun think I'll put her and Angel 2gether, even tho I really REALLY like that couple. Justine just disappears. Im basikally overriding everything else with this fik. **_

_**This fik will b updated prolly less frequently than L&FS&S...or...I dunno. This is like just a whole diff project- not really so happy, huh? Well...it wont b, atleast. Yeah, and I've traded in "The Destroyer and His Angel" 4 THIS fik...I was inspired and I hadda write it b4 I lost it. And I dont mean mentally. XD**_

**PRECIOUS DESTRUCTION**

**CHAPTER 1: _Fragile Faces_**

_**4444444444DADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDY**_

The evil vamp turned to dust as both Angel and Connor looked to each other, chests heaving, before looking to the ground, unsure and unprepared for being alone together.

_**Precious and fragile things **_

_**Need special handling **_

_**My God what have we done to you **_

"They dont need to breathe or make any sound," Angel pointed out quietly.

_**We always tried to share **_

_**The tenderest of care **_

_**Now look what we have put you through **_

Connor looked up at the man for a second before, again, averting his gaze to the ground, almost nervously.

_**Things get damaged **_

_**Things get broken **_

"...Gotta be careful." Angel's gaze dropped to the dark pavement also, then to his surroundings as he shifted restlessly. Damn, he thought, this is hard. If he couldnt even hold a regular conversation with the kid, then there really wasnt much hope for anything else.

_**I thought we'd manage **_

_**But words left unspoken **_

_**Left us so brittle **_

_**There was so little left to give **_

He gave the boy a slightly apprehensive glance, then turned, indicating behind him. "You know, you were ...uhh...you were GOOD in there."

His son stared up at him again, a dangerously guarded look on his face.

_**Angels with silver wings **_

_**Shouldnt know suffering **_

_**I wish I could take the pain for you **_

The vampire stuttered, continuing. "I mean, normally, I'd- I'd take you to a BALLGAME or a museum or..." He trailed off, searching for the right words, placing his hands on his hips in a desperate attempt to stop them from wringing nervously. "Or SOMETHING."

_**If God has a master plan **_

_**That only He understands **_

_**I hope its in your eyes He's seeing through **_

And then Connor felt it. Something deep inside- something that was stirring and swelling uneasily. It almost shook his entire body as it moved about in his chest, starting from the depths of his belly and ending at the bottom of his throat.

_**Things get damaged **_

_**Things get broken **_

It was a new feeling, but it felt foreign and...different, something he wasnt used to...something he had never experienced before. And it was almost ...TERRIFYING. He NEVER got scared, couldnt afford to, and...was too afraid to let himself be.

He kept his body steady, staring back at his father. Fear made you weak and fear destroyed.

Destroyed.

Destroyer.

_**I thought we'd manage **_

_**But words left unspoken **_

"Its just..." Angel was stuttering again, but this time trying to hold Connor's attention. "Its good to know...that you can handle yourself in a fight." And WOW could his kid FIGHT.They made quite a good team. Father and Son. Hope and pride filled the vampire's un-beating heart.

_**Left us so brittle **_

_**There was so little left to give **_

But Connor was simply looking up at him, eyes flickering and body rigid. Angel held that gaze. And he knew. He knew what that look was. Caution. A protective shield. A barrier. His son was throwing up a barrier.

And Angel suddenly had an idea of how to break it.

_**I pray you learn to trust **_

He threw a fake punch at the boy, really quick but slack and aiming too low, not reaching close at all for contact. "Ha!"

_**Have faith in both of us **_

Connor flung himself back a few feet in alarm, but halted when he realized the attack was only playful.

_**And keep room in your hearts for two **_

He let out a small whoosh of air and smiled, realizing the older man had caught him off guard, but slowly lost it, almost wary.

And confused.

_**Things get damaged **_

_**Things get broken **_

Angel shifted, lowering his fists, surprised but not allowing it to show. He had seen it.

"Its good to know you can do that too," he commented softly.

_**I thought we'd manage **_

_**But words left unspoken **_

_**Left us so brittle **_

_**There was so little left to give **_

The bass of the club music from behind them created quick beating background thumps as they gazed at each other.

One look of patience.

One look of uncertainty.

And then it broke.

_**Things get damaged **_

_**Things get broken **_

Angel's heart literally soared, his soul quivering with delight as the boy in front of him, HIS boy, newly free from the hell dimention of no return, grinned almost shyly back at him.

And threw a punch of his own.

_**I thought we'd manage **_

_**But words left unspoken **_

_**Left us so brittle **_

"Whoa," the vampire grinned, impressed, as his son lunged at him again, smiling, eyes alit.

They punched and dodged and played and grinned as they chased each other around in the dark and dirty alley, Angel egging his son on and the boy reciprocating by coming at him, laughing.

Smiling.

Grinning.

Laughing.

Playing.

_**There was so little left to give **_

And Lilah, staring at the heart-warming scene from out of the club's many dusty windows, completely ignored the tug of humanity and pulled out her cell phone, eager to convey the new startling info.

The number was on speed dial.

Linwood was waiting.

_**4444444444DADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDY**_

**(A/N):_ Angel's slowly converting the kid. WOW. About time. XP_**


	2. Hell Happy

**(A/N): _This fik is completely diff. from the other one, huh? I kinda like this feel. But yea, side notes:_**

_**Connor refers to Holtz now as 'he'. It explains later, but I used it a lil b4 the explaination, so dont get confused. (UPDATE: It started 2 seriously annoy me writing 'HE' so I just changed it to 'he'. The meaning is still the same and I'll explain it later. My bad, sorry.)**_

_**Nothing came out of Quor-toth after Connor. Holtz died in the dimention.**_

_**Plead Plaza stands for an area filled with hookers and drug dealers pleading for money and sex. Very nasty business, I tell ya. Gyaa.**_

_**Angel DOES hav a microwave.**_

_**And no wonder Connor (in the series) starts 2 go 2 Stanford College. He was raised in a hell dimension and learned 2 READ as well as stake vamps! XO And read British squiggly lines (handwriting) at that! XD **_

_**Happy New Years and blahblah. Good times 2 u all. XP**_

**PRECIOUS DESTRUCTION**

**CHAPTER 2: _Hell Happy_**

_**444444444DADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDY**_

After they had played and jumped, mock fighting and swiftly chasing each other around, they stopped and faced one another, truly enjoying what little relaxing time they just found. But Connor soon lost his smile again, reverting to the wary frown; Angel managed to keep his delight in check, knowing full well that there was alot of work ahead still.

"I want you to know, Connor, no matter what you do and no matter what you say, I will always love you. You have to believe me. Nothing matters now but the future- OUR future. Together."

And Connor tried to understand those words, jaw set and head tilted with wonderings.

_**4444444444DADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDY**_

Angel took to the roads of L.A., top down, midnight fast approaching, but let curious glances slide to the silent boy in his passenger seat. Connor had been staring straight up at the buildings since they had started driving. Angel turned his attention to the road again, keeping fast-food joints on the look-out.

Connor was leaning back towards the door, head tilted at an angle where the dark night sky was in full view. The buildings went so high up. He looked at each flying by, curiously. Most were so tall and frail looking he feared they would fall and smash him where he sat. How did they stay up for so long? How did they not sway? His head filled with curiosities and questions as his father continued to drive, Connor himself finally taking in the view of this world he was forcefully thrown into.

It was just another hell. L.A. was bigger, filled with more people and things, darkened by a night sky and brightened with a blue veil that held the sun, but it was still consumed by evil. He had seen it. There was evil all around...and it walked as if confident there was nothing to eliminate it. Quor-toth was much different, but held nothing quite as ...impressive. There was no sun and no moon, no blue sky or black night, no landmarks that touched the heavens, and nothing to tempt you with untouchable beauty.

But there was blood.

The sky was red and the ground was red, stained with its latest victims. And bodies littered the place, often half-eaten and mauled apart. Los Angeles, however showed nothing in its streets. Connor idly wondered if they had people to do that kind of cleaning...

"What are you thinking about?" Angel asked casually, looking over. Connor continued to gaze upwards.

"Why doesnt the moon burn you?"

Angel looked taken back. "I...dont know. The sunlight burns, thats all I can tell you," he grinned, trying to open up the boy more, but his kid didnt even look over, still staring straight up.

Connor frowned up at the night. Vampires were hurt by sunlight but not moonlight. Holtz had mentioned that sometime back. The sun burned and the moon shielded. That meant the moon was evil then- it worked in league with demons. The sun, however, was as righteous as 'HE' was. Holtz must have been born during the daylight. Connor must have been born at night.

"My home has no moon or sun- you would have survived there." He didnt sneer like he thought he heard in his own voice.

"Quor-toth was never your home, Connor."

"Stephen," the boy corrected calmly. "My name is Stephen."

"Quor-toth was never your home,...Stephen."

"No it wasnt," Connor mused, now letting the wind push back his hair from his face. "It was my prison. Father told me that. But God GAVE me to that prison, just like He gave me to 'him'- my father."

Angel swallowed furiously and tried to focus on driving. "Holt wasnt your-"

"Yes Father was. Father taught me everything I needed to know to get strong, even as 'he' grew weaker. Father taught me the demon world, the world of the vampires, was filled with darkness that could be destroyed, and that the human world was filled with very much the same thing except the darkness tried to hide...tried to survive. But..." He was confused and tried talking through the feeling, not caring now somebody was listening to part of his thoughts.

The vampire didnt know...

"But," he repeated, "A father wouldnt do those things to his son. And Father had a family before. I have no right to call 'him' "father" anyways. 'He' knew what I was and who I belonged to. It was all to get me strong. Father did it all to get me strong." He was still confused, but if he mulled too much, it would eventually get him to agree he was sin. Connor didnt believe himself evil. He killed evil...he couldnt kill himself. But yet he WAS evil. By blood. 'He' knew that. Thats why 'he' did those things...God told 'him' to. After all, God was also a father...

"...What did he do to you, Connor?" Angel's voice was low but entirely filled with rage as he stared ahead.

But Connor merely ignored the question, not even correcting him, gazing at the road now, watching black and a few strips of yellow whir past. "God gave me to hell to destroy," he stated in a small voice but knew the vampire hearing had picked it up.

"God wouldnt put you in a place like that."

Connor ignored the man again, deep in thought. Heaven and hell. There was nothing else aside from them- he knew of nothing else. Which one came first, he wondered. Hell surely came first- it was the first thing he remembered. Quor-toth was hell. So that meant this L.A. place was HEAVEN. But this heaven was dark too, he mused, staring now as each car on the road passed by. Heaven had been corrupted, then. That meant it was now hell. He was the Destroyer. God GAVE him to hell to destroy.

"God created me out of sin to destroy," he said softly. It must have been for atonement. If he was good, then why did God create him from demons to live among humans? He was meant to destroy. He was meant for hell. He was meant to be hurt to get stronger. It was atonement. He was created to be saved.

"Youre thinking too much, Connor." Angel was uneasy with this conversation. He chewed on his lip as he drove. "Kids shouldnt have to worry about that stuff. Not yet...No, not EVER."

"Im not a kid," Connor replied indignantly.

"Youre only 15."

"I was 7 when I first killed," the boy said slowly. Cars passed by and the strangers looked at him curiously. "I stopped being a kid then. Thats what Father said. Father said kids dont kill- they dont have blood on their hands. I did. And the blood was everywhere. Im not a kid." He heard no reply behind him.

Angel gripped the steeringwheel tightly, teeth clenched.

"Father, father, father", thats all he heard and it was seriously beginning to piss him off.

After a while, he ran a hand through his hair. "You shouldnt think too much into things," he repeated. "You did what you had to do to survive. You were trapped in a hell dimention. And you ARE still a kid."

"No," Connor disagreed softly. "Im not."

They sat in silence, Connor silently staring out the window and his father mulling over possible ways to bring back Holtz and torture him.

"MacDonalds?" The vampire asked suddenly. Connor just looked over at him, confused, so Angel took it as an affirmative. They pulled into the drive-thru and up to the order menu. "Ok, what do you want?" He smiled gently, thanking himself on changing the subject slightly.

His son looked at the menu then back at him, completely lost. "What do they have?" He asked cautiously. Angel had a flashback of just earlier that evening when the boy had asked him the same thing.

"Uhh-"

"Hello, welcome to McDonalds, may I take your order?" Came a voice over the loudspeaker.

Connor's eyes went wide. "That sign just talked."

Angel leaned his head out the window. "Can you give us a minute please?" A voice called back yes and Angel turned back to his son, who was still staring wide-eyed, leaning further away.

"Its how we order food here, Connor. A person takes the order, prepares the food, then gives it to us."

"Is a person in that sign? Were they placed in there through magic? Are they being punished for something?" He reached for his seatbelt, never taking his eyes off the brightly colored fast-food menu.

"No, no, relax." He put a hand on the boy's seatbelt, halting his efforts, and frowned in hurt as Connor flinched away. He ignored it, though. "Its called technology. Its just a machine filled with wires and cords and electricity. A person wearing a microfone headpiece is at that window up there. Only their voice comes through the sign. There's nobody in there. Now what do you want?" Connor relaxed, but again, Angel got the confused look. "I mean, what did you..." He trailed off, kicking himself for being so dense. "Hell dimention, right." He muttered.

He turned back to the sign, scanning over the food. "You like meat, right?"

Connor nodded slowly, then turned his attention back out the window.

"OK." Angel ordered three hamburgers, three large fries, and one large soda, not knowing how much the kid ate. Another regret to add to the list, his mind thought darkly as they pulled up to the window.

The worker handed them their bag and drink, her smile faltering as she misunderstood Connor's dark mood for sulking. She looked to Angel, sympathetically. "Curfew is a terrible thing on the weekends, I know. I have a son around his age- 13. He hates it when I pick him up at midnight." She directed her voice to the boy, sounding cheerful. "Dont be mad at your dad. Atleast you get free food out of the deal!" Connor turned to her with a weird look.

"Thankyou." Angel smiled nervously and drove off. When they had driven a little ways, Connor turned to look at the vampire curiously.

"Whats a cure foo? And why is it terrible?"

Angel looked ahead of him, frowning. He forgot about that. He forgot about ALOT of things he would have to teach his kid, but most of them he wished the boy would never have to find out about. "Curfew. Its like... a time limit every kid has to stick by in the city. L.A. has a midnight one." Connor still looked confused. Angel sighed. "No one under the age 18 is allowed to be on the streets after midnight and before 5am without proper supervision."

Connor raised his eyebrows. Hell had a curfew? "Why not?"

"Its just a kind of law here. Its dangerous to walk the streets late at night."

"What time is it now?"

"Errr...about half after 12."

Connor blinked. "We're breaking that law now."

"No, as long as you have an adult with you, youre fine."

"What happens if you dont?"

"The police will be after you."

"The police?"

Angel looked to him. "Yeah. Remember last night? Those guys in black that invaded that motel? Those were the police. Theyre also called cops."

His son raised his eyebrows. "They shoot kids after midnight here?"

"No. No, of course not. Well,...not the GOOD cops...They'll just take them home." He looked at him again. "I dont really think you'll have to worry about the police. I've seen you run. You'll get away," he grinned. "We're both talented like that."

Connor nodded slowly, still looking mixed-up though. He stared out the window. They were silent again, Angel glad he got through one set of questions ok, and Connor tucking the information deep into his brain. This world had so many things that were foreign and that you HAD to DO and more that were just plain UNNECESSARY. He understood cars now, and jobs, and a little bit about money even though there were other different TYPES of money apparently, and hotels, but this world...this place Angel valued as HOME had so many other things that couldnt POSSIBLY be considered "useful". They were just there to CONFUSE. Both he and his father were fighters and there were vampires and demons in the world to destroy. But...why was everything else there?

Angel was currently running through a list of things they had to take care of in the morning. His son needed an ID and he needed clothes, maybe a tv or something to keep himself busy and learn from-No, scratch that, television was the DEVIL. He couldnt learn anything USEFUL from it...Angel frowned, getting way ahead of himself, as his son suddenly spoke up, pointing out the car.

"What are those people on the corners doing? And why are they lifting up there clothes? Cars are stopping them."

_**4444444444444DADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDY**_

Angel was complaining the whole way into the Hyperion, steering Connor down the stairs. Lorne appeared in the lobby, holding a glass of brandy, and smiling merrily. No one noticed the small scowl that graced the boy's lips suddenly as he sat down on the couch.

"Whats got your whiteys in a bunch, Angelhair?" Lorne laughed, walking up to the immortal.

Angel shot him a dirty look and said simply, "Plead Plaza."

Lorne "Oooooh"ed, giving the vampire a sympathetic look. That must have been rough. "What happened?"

"We drove away quickly." Angel stomped over to the microwave and threw in the food. He now hated L.A. And he hated HIMSELF. What kind of father would try and raise a child, who had absolutely NO knowledge of the world and all its troubles, in a city like that? Prostitutes and drug dealers littered the street corners, perverts and pedophiles drove past those street corners, and the only places remotely devoid of all that were filled with demons and blood-lusting vampires. On top of that, Wolfram & Hart lurked in the shadows watching and cults filled with human extremists roamed outside.

Angel sighed, glaring down harshly at the microwave. It had scared him greatly as he realized how naive and...INNOCENT his son was. He could handle himself in a fight, sure, but to everyday life and survival in one of the world's biggest cities? Connor didnt know about drugs, well ...not EVERYTHING, didnt know about alcohol, or child molesters, or rapists, or cults, or ...Wolfram & Hart... The kid had probably never even HEARD about sex or how evil it could lead people to be...

Angel crossed his arms, deep in thought, another frown across his features. How could you teach a child things like that in one night? That was basically all the time he had. Connor would want to go out again tomorrow and Angel had no intention of letting him go without atleast knowing alittle bit more about the world. He almost wished he could just bundle his kid up and never let him set foot outside again in the real world. He wanted to protect him and shield him from all the bad out there. Connor wouldnt know what to do when offered things or meeting people with hidden agendas. Demons were one thing but corrupt humans were entirely different. He had gone home with a heroin-addict- purely because she was human. Connor wouldnt last another day out there. He wouldnt survive...and if he DID, he'd become more warped then he already was nearing.

The vampire's thoughts again flickered to Holtz. It was obvious the man had talked alot to the kid, if not full-out stating he had brain-washed Angel's son. He had taught him to survive, maybe that was true, but only in Quor-toth. For Earth, Holtz had taught Connor only to hate. And not hate the world or the people, but hate his true father and mother, his BLOOD. There came the brain-washing bit again- Connor truly believed he was born from sin. Angel growled deep in his throat. How much bullshit had Holtz engraved into his son? That was the part Angel hated the most. He could teach Connor about the world, sure, it would take awhile probably but it was possible. However,...how could you erase and recreate something the kid FIRMLY believed- something he even FOUGHT for?

Angel had thought he was getting through behind the club...He had seen Connor smile and laugh, and they had playfully wrestled for a bit, but it was like that had suddenly disappeared just as quickly as it had come. Connor had retreated back to his brooding and wary self once he had seated himself in the convertible.

The city, he had been staring up at the city...

"Uh Angelcakes? You gonna take that out before it gets cold all over again?" Lorne's voice cut through, shaking the man out of his thoughts. Angel grabbed the food and headed back, eyes sweeping the place for Connor. He spotted the boy still seated on one of the couches, scanning the area around him.

"Where is everybody?" Angel asked Lorne, sitting down next to the boy and offering the food.

"Left for dreamland. Fred and Gunn worked late so they took a room upstairs; Groo and ...Cordelia went home just a little while ago." He sighed, waiting for a stricken look from the older man, but was shocked to find Angel smiling up at him.

"Thats good. They need the rest. She had a vision earlier, and we went out and took care of it." Angel smiled at his son as the boy quietly sipped his soda.

"So the innocent's ok then?"

This time Angel DID frown as he looked back to the green-skinned empath. "Yeah. I'll...give you the details later." He didnt want to mention Justine in front of his son. If Holtz had told Connor that he was his father, then it was probable that he had also elaborated some fairytale that the redheaded woman was also his mother. Angel had seen the way she looked at the boy. She knew. Angel had almost wanted to just leave her to her fate at that moment, revenge for her part in Connor's kidnapping,...but she was HUMAN, no matter what Angel's mind told him otherwise. He smiled back at Connor as he saw the boy start to pick at his french fries.

"Well, Im off to bed. Goodnight you all."

"Lorne, there might be extras left if youre hungry." Angel pointed to the fast food bag. Lorne just shook his head, heading up the stairs.

"Grease is not a part of my healthy diet. And you might just have to watch yourself, Angelbum. You'll start showing off the rolls if youre not careful!" He laughed and was gone.

Angel turned back to his son, ignoring the fat comments. "Like the food?" Connor nodded, still munching, and just gave him a look. Angel stared back, wracking his brain for something to say. It was so damn hard just to strike up a conversation with the kid! He had no clue what to talk about without leading to arguements and probably nothing in common, considering Connor mostly grew up in HELL while Angel lived somewhat...cozily in L.A. Well, not really cozily per say, but he had handled it rather well...Connor didnt look to be in the same boat.

Angel sighed, looking away as his son did the same. They sat in silence yet again, awkwardness ensuing all the way. Finally, Connor's eyes darted over to him before looking to the food. He noticed the vampire hadnt touched his portion at all.

"Do you eat?"

Angel followed his gaze. "Uhh I dont HAVE to, but...sometimes its nice."

"But...you have to drink blood..."

Angel swallowed nervously. "Yeah," he said simply, not looking at him.

Connor raised an eyebrow. "Did you already?"

"I...had alot this morning." In truth, he just didnt want to drink in front of the boy. He almost felt...embarrassed to. His son had expressed a deep hate in the fact he was a vampire and he didnt want the boy to look at him in a DISGUSTED way...again. The way his son viewed him was extremely important.

Connor hating him was his worst fear. And his fear had been alive merely a day ago.

"How?"

"How what?"

"How do you do it? I mean...drink? You say you dont kill-"

"I dont," the man put in firmly. "Its donated to me through a company and I just pour it in a glass each day." He was again feeling uncomfortable...and making himself SICK with his own actions as Connor looked over at him warily again.

"So you have others kill for you..." It didnt come out as a question; Connor stated it slowly.

"No. No! Its only pig's blood!" He looked over at his son, stomach flipping into knots and eyes pleading. "It comes from a slautering company. Its not human blood. I dont drink human blood." After a second, he ran a hand through his short spikey hair, sighing. "Look, lets...change the subject." Next to him, Connor nodded, looking thoughtful.

But after the boy had finished up his hamburger, stomach oddly not feeling satisfied, he looked back to his father. "So do other vampires drink pig's blood like you?" He heard the man groan, starting for the fries.

"I thought we were going to change the subject?"

"I did. We're not talking about you now." If what Angel says is true, it would mean Holtz had lied to him a majority of the years in that hell...or atleast, trained him "improperly". Vampires here didnt drink human blood? Then why did they go around attacking people? This world was becoming more confusing by the second, and he surprised himself by actually BELIEVING what the vampire before him, his FATHER, was saying. He was also a demon. Demons lied.

So...why was he believing him?

"Im the only one that drinks pig's blood...well, Im pretty sure Im the only one. I havent met every vampire here in L.A. yet, but...Yeah, all the others drink human blood. I used to, but...I was different then. I didnt have a soul. And I was evil. Every vampire is evil."

"Except you..." No, thats not what 'he' said...

"Yes." Angel smiled now, seeing his words slowly sink in. Connor continued to munch on the rest of his fries, lost in thought.

"There...were no vampires in Quor-toth," he finally said.

"Really?" Angel had kind of figured that. Before, in the club, Connor had asked him to let him finally stake one.

Connor nodded. "Father told me what to do, though. Father trained me for them."

Angel looked at him curiously. "Why would he train you for them if they didnt even exist there?" Did Holtz know? Did he somehow predict that Connor would escape one day to L.A.? Connor was also curious about this. He stayed silent. Angel switched tactics, curiousity growing.

"So what exactly was in Quor-toth?"

"Demons," the boy answered simply.

"Thats it?"

"And...a few humans..."

"Humans?" Angel leaned foreward, inwardly happy his son was finally opening up to him.

Connor nodded. "There were a few- not as many as here, but..." He stared off into space. "There were a few." Angel waited patiently for him to continue as the boy shifted uneasily on the couch. "They stuck together and knew magic." He scowled, remembering. "Blood magic. They were evil." His gaze flitted over to his father. "Like everybody here is, but they were...MORE evil."

"Connor, not everyone here is evil. ALOT are," Angel nodded, not wanting to lie and have his son trust everybody he met, "but not everybody. You just have to know the right people."

"No, youre wrong."

"Connor, listen to me-"

"No!" He was done listening to that! He had been in this world for only one day and he had seen how tainted and corrupt the people were. "Theyre evil! You have too much faith in them, dad!" He glared, agony shining through. "Theyre evil and...and...WRONG," he whispered. Sunny had been nice but now she was dead- people had even helped to kill her...and she hadnt fought back. She was weak and...wrong.

Angel looked at him, pure emotion swirling in his eyes before he reached foreward, grabbing his tormented son by the shoulders, and crushing him to his chest. Connor's eyes grew wide in surprise at the action, before struggling free and jumping up, cheeks stained red and fists clenched.

"Do-Dont touch me!" He backed away, bumping into the coffee table.

Angel jumped up also, hands out reaching for his son, eyes alarmed. "Connor! Please, just-!"

"No!" He backed away even further, moving around the table and heading for the door. Angel watched him the entire way, staying still, not wanting to scare the boy further. But...why WAS he so scared?

"Just...dont." As Connor walked up the front steps, nearing the door, he seemed to calm down a bit, hesitantly looking back at the vampire. "I-I...have to go," he choked out.

Angel still didnt make any movement foreward. "Where?" He asked quietly, eyes looking lost. His son was leaving him again. He didnt think he could take it this time. He needed him. Needed him SO BADLY it hurt.

"I have a place," was the soft reply.

"You have no money..."

"I...have a little left." He still had most of the money from Sunny. Her DRUG money. He wouldnt have even TOUCHED it if he didnt need it to live in this world.

"Please stay," Angel pleaded, taking a step foreward, hands out before him to show there was no harm. "There are alot of rooms here and everything's free." His tone grew desperate as Connor stepped back again. "I'll get you food an-and clothes and everything else you need...Anything you WANT, son. Anything at all. Just name it and its yours!" He tried stepping foreward again, relieved as his son just gazed back, not moving. "Just please...Please dont leave. Not again..."

Connor watched him warily, eyes darting to and from the door, like it was an escape route. Angel's gaze also flickered to the door nervously before landing back onto his son. "Please son..." Angel finally had an idea. A plan.

"Ok, I-I'll make a deal with you." Angel watched as Connor's eyebrows furrowed. "One night. Just stay for one night. If...If its not for you and you dont like it here...with me, then you can leave by morning." He looked at the boy eagerly for confirmation. "Is it a deal?"

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**(A/N): _YAY! I luv this chap! XD Connor's SO KOOL! XP R&R if u wanna._**


	3. Poisoned Pasts

**(A/N):_ Yay finally updated! And L&F S&S wont b updated til I got chapter 15 and 16 BETAed- itd b evil of me 2 just leave it at 15. A lil bit of Connor-abuse ahead, sorry Angel-daddy. Ummm yeah. Byz._**

**PRECIOUS DESTRUCTION**

**CHAPTER 3: _Poisoned Pasts_**

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_18.23.20.28.27. _Linwood pulled out the knob and a glowing button appeared above all the others, swirling with pure translucent light and creating a humming noise throughout the elevator. As he pushed it, everything faded away to white and he suddenly found himself standing in a large expanse of space, the horizon and everything around him almost too brilliantly bright to look at for long.

"Hello."

He turned and directly behind him, as if there the whole time, was a little girl in a dress sitting calmly in a white chair. Linwood smiled.

"Hello, Red." That was his nickname for her. The thing was obsessed with the color. Everytime he visited wearing something red, she commented on how she liked it. He had wanted to ask her why at one time but feared it was out of line. She was a being from another realm working for a higher power and every time she spoke, her lips would curl in a malicious smirk as if sickened and entertained at the same time.

Red was the obvious color of blood. Linwood felt that was why.

"Youre not wearing red today." Her voice sounded childish and hurt, but her eyes were cold.

"No, but I'll bring you something special next time."

"No you wont, but that doesnt matter. Youre here to ask me for something. Something to help you with your revenge against the vampire, Angel." Linwood nodded and she continued. "He's found his son and you want to cause them trouble." She smiled. "I like trouble but..." Now her lips culed upwards and tone grew deeper. "I HATE chaos."

"I dont understand."

"Angel will have enough problems with that boy. The baby is now the Destroyer. His mind and body have been touched by evil just as Quor-toth is filled with darkness. Everything he knows is corrupted. You will only add on to the chaos of their lives."

Linwood suddenly grinned and stepped forward as Red looked up at him, smiling almost pleasantly. "But I know you will help me."

"Dont get too cocky." She tilted her head to the side and stared at him. "How do you know?"

Linwood bent down then stood up straight, in his hand a vial of dark blue liquid. "Why else would you leave me this?"

"Again, I say, _dont get too cocky_." She gave a musical laugh, waving her hand, and he was gone in a blazing white flash.

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"This can be your room." Angel swung open the door, raising his arms to usher the boy in, but Connor quickly walked ahead, effectively getting away from the touching hands. Angel gave no sign that he noticed. "My room is close-by, just down the hall. I mean, not TOO close but...not too far either." He put his hands on his hips, looking slightly apprehensive. "Do you like it?"

Connor stayed silent and quietly moved to the small bed to sit down, all the while staring back at the man warily.

"The walls are blue," Angel went on cheerfully, motioning around him. "I thought you might like the color. I know most kids like blue. And...if you choose to stay here, we could fix up the room a little bit. Its pretty bare. Maybe some pictures and a computer and books...Not that Im trying to tempt you to stay," he added in almost nervously, trying to look everywhere but at his son. "I mean, I WANT you to stay but...Well, 'but' isnt really a good word to put there. I just...I mean, I really just want..." He trailed off, looking lost while rubbing his forhead, then crossed his arms over his chest, finally flicking a quick glance at the silent boy. "Is there anything you need before I leave? A glass of water?"

Connor slowly shook his head no.

"Are you still hungry? Maybe a snack?"

Connor automatically clutched at his stomach, trying not to make a face, but Angel saw past that and was instantly by his side, much to the boy's chagrin.

"What is it? Whats wrong? You have to tell me if your still hungry-"

"No, its nothing," came the calm reply as Connor turned away. He felt weak enough as it was; he didnt need the other man knowing anything else. He hurt. He had finally let his mind accept that even though his stubborn pride wouldnt admit to it yet. And the pain was coming from his stomach- not any other part of his body, just his belly area, but it was spreading upwards towards his chest and throat.

He didnt understand it, but the thought of more food was not making it go away. If anything, it made his middle clench even more painfully.

"Ok, well if youre still here in the morning, I'll be cooking breakfast. Do you want anything speci-" While talking, he sat down and had reached forward to affectionately ruffle the boy's somewhat greasy brown hair but Connor leaned back quickly, resting his head on a pillow, achieving the desired distance away from the vampire before the hand could make contact. A flash of hurt blazed into the immortal's eyes but he shoved it quickly away, gazing down at his son with a soft smile.

A longing smile.

"You dont need anything then? No questions? Nothing?" he asked, almost hoping the boy desired SOMETHING, but deflated as Connor slowly shook his head, staring up at him with a blank look.

"Alright." Angel gazed back silently, hand itching to reach out and remove the hair from the bright blue eyes, but knowing fully well the boy would move away again. After a moment more of looking down at his son and his son staring back, Angel tilted his head, eyes questioning. "What is it?"

Blue eyes stared up at him, not giving an answer.

Angel had another urge to reach out but held it back. "Is there something wrong?"

Connor's stare turned defiant instantly, but he turned away, instead opting to look out the window. Angel waited another moment and when his son gave no sign of answering, he leaned in to whisper a quiet goodnight just as the boy turned to him, eyes dark and voice low. "I dont like this world."

Angel leaned back, confused.

"But," Connor continued, now looking confused himself but also distrusting. "You arent how Father said you'd be."

"...What did he tell you, Connor?"

Connor ignored the vampire, staring out the window again. Everything seemed to fade out.

_"In the name of the Father." A dark vertical line of ash was put on the young boy's forhead as he kneeled before the other man, shirtless and trembling. "In the name of the Son." A horizontal line was then placed crossing the first line. A finger smudged with ash then lowered to the boy's thin chest, creating the same symbol there as well, too. The man leaned back from his spot on the ground, noticing the sky growing darker around them. God was angry._

_"By this sign of the holy cross of thou Lord Jesus Christ who lives and was raised with the Father and the Holy Spirit- may it be He that shall pass Judgement on all souls before Him and may it be this vessel that shall be delivered Judgement by the Word before it. So it is said, so shall it be."_

_After a moment of hesitantly looking back at the penetrating eyes before him, the boy finally spoke. "Does the Lord still live with His Father?"_

_"Yes. He was raised by the Father and is forever learning new things."_

_"And Hi- THE Father loves Him?"_

_"Yes. The Father loves His Son, loves ALL His children. Every father does."_

_"What of mine?" the boy questioned quietly, looking at the ground, then spoke up louder. "What of my father?"_

_"I'M your father."_

_"I know that," the boy replied quickly, feeling the cold prick of dangerous eyes fixing on him. "I meant the other one,...Father. Did...Did he love me?" Again, his voice came out small and weak, and he cursed it, not wanting to anger the man in front of him._

_"No," the man replied coldly. "He did not love you, Stephen. He despised you from the moment you were conceived, and at the moment of your birth, he tried to kill you. He wanted to end your life just as he ended the lives of MY children. He did not care that you were his own." The man watched with sick satisfaction as the boy's eyes brimmed with tears of hurt that were quickly and angrily wiped away. "And thats when I saved you. God gave me to you and you to me. Your own father didnt want you and abandoned you, then tried to kill you. On every level, that monster betrayed you, but for a father to wish death on his own son is the cruelest level of them all."_

_"Which level are you then?"_

_/SMACK/ The boy's head spun to the side, an angry red welt appearing and soon disappearing just as quickly._

_"Watch your tongue, boy," the man hissed, hand still raised._

_"Yes, Father," came the boy's quick, mechanical reply._

_"You compelled me to hit a child bearing the mark of God. You shame me, Stephen."_

_"Please forgive me, Father."_

_"I will." The man reached forward and smeared both crosses, the boy flinching under the rough touches. _

_Daniel Holtz smirked. The boy was defiled once again. "Let the Judgement begin."_

Connor visibly flinched again as the memory thankfully ended, the skin on his cheek burning as if the second slap had connected somehow through time and space.

"Connor?" Angel's voice was worried and Connor looked up at him, wondering why.

"Stephen," he corrected quietly. He hated that name, cursed the man that gave it to him and cursed the monster that allowed him to be called it.

"No, its Connor."

The boy stilled, eyes quickly darting to look at him, but Angel only smiled, reaching out again, relieved when the boy didnt shift away.

A cold hand weaved through the boy's hair and after a while, Connor's body relaxed, eyes closing shut, even as his mind screamed that the dead was touching him. A small tremor ran through him as he sensed the vampire moving closer, but he didnt move away like all instincts were shrieking at him to. He, instead, took guilty pleasure from the fingers carressing his hair, trying hard to ignore where the touches were coming from, even as the gentle cold fingers strayed to carress up and down his cheeks.

The dead couldnt hurt him.

Vampires were dead, but he had the knowledge to kill them before they could do anything.

'He' was gratefully human as well as dead, and by no ordinary means, could come back to life.

Angel was dead. And also, in a way, alive. He had a soul and that very soul acted as if it couldnt hurt another living creature, but Connor knew better. 'He' had also had a soul and was human but obviously hadnt followed the same guidelines. A soul meant nothing. If what 'he' had said before was true, then he wasnt given a second chance at a life he so desperately wished for, a life with a father that loved him and never hurt him, but a second chance at death, this time happiness fabricated to conceal a monster intending to kill.

In his eyes, it could be both ways.

His diluded thoughts came to a halt as a soft but deep voice whispered next to his ear. "You cant always look at the bad, Connor. If you choose to stay here with me, I will show you the good." Connor slowly opened his eyes to stare up into passionate and loving ones. He opened his mouth to question the dead thing staring down at him with so many confusing emotions, but abruptly closed it. He hadnt decided anything yet. Asking questions would acknowledge a decision he still hadnt even made.

So he stayed silent, staring up at the creature he had priveledged with the name "Dad", and as it touched and carressed him so gently, his own body betrayed him, and he fell soundlessly asleep.

Angel gazed down at his son, allowing a wide smile to finally break free as the boy's deep blue eyes closed in slumber, awed by the fact the wary young soul before him had so trustingly fallen asleep beneath his hands.

Connor was beautiful. Clearly and undeniably so. Angel knew all parents felt that way about their children, he too had felt it as he held his baby for the first time, but the fifteen year-old boy before him exuded something else entirely. He could distinctly see Darla within his features, and no matter how much he yearned for it, he saw almost nothing of himself carried along to his offspring.

Then again, that could be taken as a gift. Connor was something else entirely. His face portrayed innocence while his small form professed vulnerability, something Angel saw and knew to be far from the truth. The boy was a puzzle, an enigma, a vow impossibly created, a precious miracle lost on a creature cursed both ways. Angel's hand clenched as those words tumbled through his head. He gazed down at his son again, willing his fingers to leave the soft strands of hair but was unsuccessful, noticing with almost swelling pride as the boy turned into his touch, as if acknowledging it and allowing it, before turning his head away again, chest rising slowly and rhythmically with each breath.

His son lived and breathed. Had a soul. Had a pulse. Had a heartbeat. The vampire could see it and hear it. The noises were all around and he could sense every little thing that radiated from the boy before him. The feeling was intense. It was like a type of sweet liquor rushing through his system, making him light-headed and dizzy and giddy and abnormally happy, all with a sense of power like nothing could stop him if he stayed forever this way.

And also sick.

Even with the sweetest of alcohols, the outcome at the end was always the same, a feeling of extreme sickness and desire for death as the misery went on and on.

Because thats what it was.

When taken away.

Angel's hand shook as he finally pulled it away, turning away from the beauty that could heal as well as scar. Connor taken away from him again would kill him, in every sense of the word possible. A stake in the heart would be something to laugh at in comparison but something also wished for if every fear concerning his son was to ever be made truth.

The vampire allowed one more loving glance to his child, relishing in the strange peacefulness of the boy who no longer held shadows beneath his eyes or on his face, before silently moving away to the door and closing it behind him, face once again edged with worry, but a newer one, as his hand stilled on the cold doorknob.

He didnt think he could wait until morning for the boy's answer. And accept the answer if it wasnt the one he wished to hear from the bottom of his unbeating heart. But hearing something sooner would surely lead to a negative. Atleast the morning would bring a hope.

Angel rested his forehead against the wood of the dark door, sighing as his body snarled at the fact that the familiar poison was now seperating him from the boy he desired so greatly.

"I love you, Connor," he whispered, voice thick with emotion, and after a moment, he turned away, shoving his hands deep into his pockets, face now carrying its usual brooding look.

Wood was not the poison laced throughout the boy's mind.

As Angel made his way downstairs, his vampire hearing dulled with his heavy heart, not at all picking up the soft whimper of fear or hearing the small cry of pain from the room his most precious thing rested in.

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**(A/N):_ Yep, thanks 4 all the reviews! XD Email me if u wanna._**


	4. Bitter Betrayals

**(A/N):_ Wow, chapter 4. Poor Connor. _**

_**You'll understand soon enough why I have Connor using 'HE' alot when referring to Holtz. And just 2 let u know, the RED in the sky of Quor-toth means its midday. R&R if u wanna. Or email, watever /shrugs/.**_

**PRECIOUS DESTRUCTION**

**CHAPTER 4:_ Bitter Betrayals_**

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As he slept, as slumber caught him against his will but much to his inner urgings, pain tore through his quivering body, twisting his empty dreams to ones of memories never to be forgotten. The pain didnt feel the same. It was strong and in the same regions like before, but it was different. His belly groaned and shifted but before, on his fourth night of tracking, he remembered his stomach burning and aching like that.

The first night, he had been seven and excited because 'he' had told him he was finally going to learn how to track, how to be stronger. He had already learned to hunt when in the proximity and to kill when told to, but tracking was something different all together. 'He' told him it was to be done alone and without help, to prove he was a man, to show he was POWERFUL enough to face everything else his home had to offer and that God was willing to bestow upon him.

'He' led him harshly through the woods, seeing upon the boy's face an eagerness to learn and nothing more. He was a fast-learner and had learned quickly to never question what 'he' did to him.

But fear was not so compliant.

Stephen was tied to a large tree, surrounded by nothing but foliage that obscured his view of beyond. And 'he' had just walked away, ordering over 'his' shoulder not to move until the orange of the sky had deepened to an angry purple. A full day.

Stephen could do that.

So he waited then escaped easily, the ropes ripping under his impatient movements. The goal was to find 'him', to track 'him', and it was his own mission to fulfill that before the sky lightened to orange again.

He then ran and leapt, following 'his' scent until he found 'him' hours later, standing calmly in a clearing smeared with red. And he had stared curiously at the somewhat pleased man in front of him because bodies littered the area.

Father had killed waiting for him.

The second big track was on his tenth birthday. It would be a REAL one, 'he' had said, a test to see how well his senses held up.

'He' had again tied him to a tree, the same tree, and ran off, shouting to wait two full days before escaping. So he listened and waited, ignoring the hunger pains, then broke free and chased after the scent he knew all too well, but demons delayed him and magic surrounded him at one point, so it was not until the fifth day that his test had come to an end. 'He' had run far, all the way to a high-ranking shaman hut atleast four valleys over, and was sitting calmly at a table when Stephen walked in and sat down, looking weak and defeated.

Because he was just that.

He had failed in some way.

The third time, he was nearly twelve and had felt a cloud of darkness settle over the area the night before. 'He' had taken him somewhere far and dangerous as the sky churned purple, and had tied him in between two trees, spread eagle and defenseless, standing up. 'He' then looked him in the eyes and told him not to wait, and to escape quickly. Then 'he' ran off, never looking back.

Stephen was confused. Why did Father not give him two days like before? Or a day even? He was stronger now!

Then, he saw why.

He was in the middle of a camp. A camp full of large demons. And he could smell the fever that had overtaken them. He started to struggle just as they awoke, quickly climbing out of their respective places, eyes crazed with sickness and delirium. They all saw the boy in the middle of their land, all alone. And they all shared the same thought.

Food.

It took him a day to run free, covered head to toe in demon blood and his own blood, and he found 'him' quickly because the man was just outside the camp, looking on.

Father had watched the whole thing.

"You didnt kill them all," 'he' stated coldly. "You let one escape."

"Yes, Father."

"Because you were afraid." 'He' said the word as if it had turned into bile within 'his' mouth.

"...Yes, Father." Stephen knew Father could see his small body shake. From exertion, he told his shameful mind, but he knew it was from the other.

Fear.

And the fourth time was the last time he would ever be tested to track Father. 'He' had told him that the day before, and on that night, he was given a cup of dark liquid that he thought was the same liquid 'he' favored so much. But it wasnt, and when the sky had changed its colors, he was hauled out of their hut, much to the protests of his hurting body. A pain had seared through him overnight and made his thirteen year-old body ache and burn. But no matter how hurtful the burn, his anger burned stronger. Father had poisoned him! And left him tied to a tree as 'he' fled yet again just as the demons circled and crept closer to the young boy who's slight frame shook with hurt and sobs of betrayal. The night was filled with his tortured screams and cries as every creature nearby with a bloodthirsty wrath savagely clawed and beat and mauled his unmarred skin that, in vain, tried to heal itself by superhuman methods.

No one came, not even Father, but 'he' had never come before, so Stephen did not expect it. Not once did he wish for death, though, even as the biggest monster he had ever seen stepped before him. The demon spoke in Quor-toth tongue which Stephen was taught but never spoke himself. He would never have evil come from his mouth, even as 'he' beat him because he would not repeat what certain shamans of power had told him.

"I know you understand me, human child," the demon spoke and crept closer, letting a dirty finger caress the boy's tear-stained cheek. Stephen thought about biting the digit, his hands being still bound, then cringed at the thought.

"Such a child but...never before have I seen such beauty."

"Im not a child," Stephen snarled and he proved his words correct, creating his own beauty as his restraints broke from around the tree. Fear could not stop him when fueled with anger.

The blood was familiar when flowing on him and from him, and he became even more enraged by that fact, because the evil was tainting him and covering him even as he fought against it. The darkness was touching him, and as he slashed and slaughtered those around him in a frenzy, he couldnt help but notice and FEEL it was all the same.

The same as 'his' touch.

But he shook that thought away, creating a path towards freedom out of demon bloodshed and horrified shrieks of the dying. God did not side with darkness and the Word could not commune with it.

He finally broke free and ran, hearing splatters and moans from behind him as his anger burned brighter. The second day was no less, his rage still being fueled as he killed anything in his way. And the third day was the same if not better because his body was no longer pained with the poison. He returned to the hut even before 'he' got there, and when the man opened the door and saw the boy sitting there, breathing somewhat raggedly, he smiled, something not done often, and clapped a thin shoulder almost harshly in approval.

Stephen was shocked as his own body went against him and swelled with the parental gratification it was given, but he did not forget the betrayal that was done, so his eyes hardened as 'he' sat down across from him.

"Three days..."

Stephen said nothing, but sat up straighter, raising his head proudly.

"Why didnt you pray, Stephen?"

"There was no need to."

"You were outnumbered and weak."

The boy only shrugged.

"When afraid, children pray to God to come and save them."

"Im not a child. And God wanted me to kill, not pray."

'He' nodded, liking the boy's answer. "Then you are ready." Daniel Holtz could now see the anger within the boy's deep blue eyes, congratulating himself on having put it there, and at that moment, he knew he finally had the power to harness that emotion. The boy in front of him was finally ready to be the warrior he was born to be. The killer he was MEANT to be.

And the ruthless mercenary Holtz, himself, would forge him to be.

"We need to pray, Stephen. We need to pray for your soul, and that the monster who created you does not come looking to claim it."

The boy opened his mouth to question, but a look from 'him' and he was quickly silenced.

"Yes, Father." The anger still coursing through him covered the ever-present fear and gave him enough power not to cringe this time from the brutal touches that awaited him. So much power, in fact, that he didnt even flinch as the man got up and soundlessly reached for him.

But the anger could not stop the cries that escaped his trembling lips that night from within the hut as his blood ran free once again.

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"So, how is the not-so-little guy?" Lorne asked casually, pouring himself a steaming cup of coffee and watching as the vampire somberly tread down the stairs, a frown on his face.

"He...seems fine."

"And still here. Seemingly, that is." He watched the vampire do his nightly routine of pouring himself a glass of blood. "You know, Angel, not that this would really matter and all, but..." Lorne brought the coffee to his lips and directed his gaze to the stairs, trailing off. He had very much been aware of everything going on when father and son had returned that night and had caught a glimpse, a quick one seeing as how the boy had easily and almost disarmingly so masked the flicker of intense feeling on his face, of what the boy truly thought of him and it had unnerved him when the Connor demonstrated he could hide it well, especially in the presence of the loving vampire.

"What is it, Lorne?"

Lorne shook his head out of his thoughts. "I just..." He turned back to Angel. "I dont think he really likes me, Angelcakes."

But Angel only gave a small laugh. A humorless laugh. "Yeah, well, right about now, I dont think he really likes anybody, so Im feeling you on that one."

"No, I mean,..." He trailed off again seeing Angel raise questioning eyes to him then just gave up all together on the subject. A topic change was in order. "So...what was it that you couldnt tell me before?"

"The innocent," his pale face turned hard, "wasnt so innocent."

Lorne watched in curiosity as the dark-clothed man clenched his glass of red with unhindered anger. "A vampire?"

"No." A certain vampire hunter's lackey girlfriend, Angel thought with a scowl. "Justine."

"Oooooooh." And by the way his boss was carrying on, he had half a mind to think the vampire gave the woman that was indirectly responsible for the kidnapping of his son what had been coming to her the entire time.

Angel caught his look. "I almost wanted to, Lorne. For every part she played in Holtz taking Connor away from me, I almost turned around and left, seeing what was about to happen to her, but..." The woman was still human- an innocent. Lorne walked forward and patted the man's shoulder in a mixture of understanding and relief.

"You did the right thing. The GOOD thing. And she's gone now. Thats all that matters. Connor's back and safe and upstairs where you can finally be with him and watch over him-"

"-And protect him. I wont let anything happen to him again," the vampire's voice grew deeper as his dark eyes flared with remembering all that had happened. "But...he wont let me in." He shrugged off Lorne's still lingering comforting hand and walked towards the stairs, gazing up with a yearning he felt from the bottom of his unbeating heart. "I thought...I thought I was getting somewhere with him but he seems farther away from me now than when he was trying to KILL me, Lorne. No matter what I do, he just turns away and he wont even let me touch him." That was what hurt and bothered him the most. It wasnt just the randomness of brushing up against each other in the packed club or grabbing his arm to stop him from actually staking his own father, it was when he pushed and pushed to be let it. Only at that time, did his son shy away and not allow the vampire close. He had managed briefly to get past that and was shocked as well as happy when Connor allowed the contact finally in the bedroom, but...

Angel knew.

He knew what his son had done.

Connor had closed his eyes.

"He just has to get used to everything, Angelcakes. This is a whole new place for him and you just have to wait for him to realize you would never hurt him. I can feel he's trying to believe." At those words, Angel jerked his head back to stare at his friend, with wide hopeful eyes. He knew Lorne was a psychic through music being sung live to him, but he also knew the demon was somewhat empathic when it came to strong emotions. Lorne nodded, even more confirming it. "I can sense he wants to believe. And he doesnt hate you. He's very confused. I havent picked up on much, but when you guys walked in here earlier tonight, I felt he was only confused. That was it. You still have a chance to get through to him- he's only a child, after all. You havent lost him." He knew enough not to mention he indeed felt anger from the boy, but at the instant he felt it, he thought maybe it HAD been towards Angel, but seeing further the reaction his presence brought out, he knew different.

Maybe a little bit was towards the vampire, but almost all of it was directed towards HIM.

"You think?" Angel's smile was so hopeful. "You think I still have a chance?" He still knew he had no clue how to handle a child, especially one that was his own, after all, he never thought about practicing parenthood before, seeing how the possibility of offspring from vampires was something impossible, but he knew enough to know that even if the green man took back his words or things later changed within all their lives, he would never give up.

He would never give up on his son. He loved him too much.

After all, Connor was a MIRACLE given to him.

Lorne merely nodded, happy he had set in motion the man's inner strength yet again. "Yeah and he seems to have a little bit of your hard-headedness in-" His words dropped off as his eyes grew large. Angel looked at him questionably. "Lorne?" He got alarmed, though, as the demon's gaze directed up the stairs.

Lorne could feel it.

He could feel it all.

"Oh...my...God," he breathed out slowly, voice as quiet as the grave.

Fear

Terror

Betrayal

Pain

"Angel-" But he was interrupted suddenly from a loud scream upstairs, one filled with as much intense alarm as he felt from the man standing next to him.

The man now racing up the stairs like hellhounds were at his heels.

Angel could hear it now. Even before he got there, he could hear it. The thrashing, the whimpering, the cries of 'no' and 'stop', and the bed creaking under all of his panicked child's movements. He threw the door open in a frenzy, not even beholding the whole sight in front of him as he raced to Connor's side, already fully aware of what his precious boy was under.

A nightmare.

Connor was tossing and turning fitfully, his arms criss-crossing in the air and flailing about as if warding off an invisible attacker, and as Angel bent down to his level and grabbed his thin shoulders semi-roughly but firmly, the boy's rapid movements escalated and his screams started up again.

_"Connor! CONNOR! Wake up! Wake up, son, wake up!" _Angel held him down and shouted loudly, trying to be heard over the other's shrieks, but the boy continued, never waking up. Looking down, the vampire almost broke at the fear lacing over his sleeping son's face and bit back a growl of rage at whatever demons were attacking him in a place he couldnt enter. Not knowing what to do though, but not wanting to have him suffer any longer, Angel called out to Connor with something he'd surely respond to.

Something Angel was actually hoping the boy would react to, even though it sided with everything he was trying to make his son forget.

_"Stephen...Stephen!_" And as predicted, the boy bolted upwards, seeing nothing around him as he tried to come out of whatever he was in. He gasped out loudly, his eyes wide and blank, as he frantically tried to catch his breath, no longer making the sounds his father feared the most. But whimpering, he shook and finally blinked, looking around in front of him, disoriented.

Never turning to the other man in the room.

Seeing his chance, Angel leaned forward and tried to soothe, having dropped his hold quickly once the boy woke up.

Connor didnt like touch.

"Connor?"

The boy froze, finally realizing he wasnt alone. Eyes opening wider with fear, Connor slowly shifted his gaze towards the creature as if holding his breath and hoping it all wasnt real, giving a look that chilled Angel to the bone and would be imprinted in his mind and soul forever.

They stared at each other, one gaze worried and voice stuttering while the other was silent, having eyes growing larger and larger with quickly mounting horror.

"C-Connor? I-Its alright now. Im here. Nothing will hurt you here." He wanted to touch him, to hold him and comfort him, to be allowed to move closer and to be allowed to hope the boy would just throw away the inner demons tormenting him and fall safely into his arms, but...with the way his son was staring at him now, he knew...

He knew nothing was ever that easy.

With a small cry, Connor hurled his body off the bed, just as the other man was hesitantly reaching out to him, and backed away into a corner, sliding down when seeing he had chosen the wrong direction to run to. The bed and the vampire on the other side, now quickly standing up, was preventing his escape to the outside. He tried to huddle away even farther into the wall as the thing drew closer, recoiling as the movement didnt stop. The darkness finally closing in, he raised his head with a frantic gasp, truly believing any second now his life would be stolen from him, and searched the surrounding area for anything to defend himself with, as the monster reached out towards him yet again.

Angel saw the terror that was fleeting across the boy's face and, in anguish, realized all he must have been thinking and feeling, but reached out nevertheless, hoping atleast any reaction after was better than what he was witnessing already.

He kept his hand steady and body low as he spoke quietly. "Connor..." He was almost on his knees now in front of the shaking boy. "Connor, look at me, son. Youre not there anymore- youre here with me at the hotel. You came here willingly. This is the room you picked out to sleep in, dont you remember?" Now seeing some sort of reaction as if his words were slowly starting to sink in, he moved his arm nearer, merely a hair's-breath away now, ignoring the hurt that flared again when his son flinched away and instead, focused on bringing his son closer to truly waking up. "You had a bad dream, Connor," he informed in a calm voice, hoping it would do what it sounded like.

And seeing the boy blink, look around confused, then begin to relax as his breathing became somewhat normal again, the last inch disappeared and Angel's hand contacted with pale skin, caressing his Miracle's cheek.

But it was slapped away just as quickly as it connected.

"Dont touch me." Connor eyed him with a wary look.

"I-Im sorry," Angel apologized quickly, never looking away. He waited a minute for the boy to collect more of his bearings, noticing him surveying the room. "Do you remember now?" he asked quietly.

The boy nodded slowly after a second. "I remember."

"Are you...alright?"

A blank look. "...Yes."

Angel nodded, trying to accept that, as he stared at his boy. His hand ached, but not from the slap it had received.

It ached.

Just like he ached to touch his son again.

But he gave a small sigh instead, hearing it come out almost too loud in the sudden stillness of the dark room.

Then he heard a creak from behind and felt another presence.

Turning quickly, he gave another sigh, this one relieved though, as he saw who it was.

Lorne was standing in the doorway, looking nervous, his body halloed in yellow from the hallway light behind him.

"I was wondering what was..." Lorne trailed off and seeing him suddenly tense, his gaze elsewhere, Angel whirled back around to his son, silently questioning why.

And then he understood.

Connor was coiled like a ferocious animal spotting prey, his eyes practically sparking with fury, and with a strong blow from his arm, Angel was tossed to the side as if his weight was nothing to the thin wiry body shooting past.

"Demon!" Connor spat with venom, leaping, first, onto the bed then launching off with wound-up energy at the now frightened green man as Angel watched on from the floor, too shocked to do anything at all to stop it.

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**(A/N):_ Yeah, Lorne's gonna die! Woohoo! Heh thanks 4 the reviews! XD Chapter 5 out probably Sunday kuz I just hafta check it and Im going 2 the beach with people and spending the night there later 2day (Saturday) so I wont have a computer with me. Getting a laptop next weekend, so I wont hav this problem...Damn, I feel like a nerd...heh. XD_**


	5. Poisoned People

**(A/N):**

**Precious Destruction: Chapter 5- _Poisoned People_**

_**4444DADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDY**_

The boy leaped, eyes bright with the instinct to kill and mouth curling in a vicious snarl as the demon singer looked up in fear and raised a suited arm in an attempt to shield himself from harm.

But the attack never came.

With a sharp cry, Connor bent in the air, holding his stomach, and fell before reaching his victim. Landing in a heap and whimpering while his breath hitched, but a second later, whirling his glare back on the man, he snatched up his pants and whipped out two blades that had been strapped to his thin legs throughout the night, positioning them for the ready as he was back on his feet again, preparing for the close execution.

He again raced forward, heart pounding and feet light.

But was grabbed from behind just as his hunt gasped and backpedalled for the hallway beyond the door.

The weapons were flung across the room.

"LET ME GO!" the boy snarled, bringing up his elbow to hopefully connect with his dad's chin, but Angel only held on tighter, a hand over his boy's taut stomach and an arm slung around his shoulders, steadying him where he stood.

"No, Connor! You have to realize what youre doing!"

"I know what Im doing! He's a demon!"

"He wont hurt you!"

"Not that I COULD!" Came a shaky shout from just outside and Connor snarled in reply, struggling more wildly in his father's hold.

"They should all DIE!" Connor yelled over his shoulder at the man but quickly gasped when he didnt respond, instead pulling him tighter against his dead body, hand still firm over his stomach.

"No, Connor, he's good!"

The boy then gave a small and disbelieving laugh, lip still curled. "Like you? Theyre evil! Father taught me that; Father taught me everything!"

"He didnt teach you a thing, Connor! And IM your father, not him!" Now it was Angel's turn to growl, anger sparked from the mere mention of Holtz alone. Connor still struggled within his grasp, but eyes that were before trained with hate towards the open doorway, now fixed on the pale cold hand still on his belly.

"Quit touching me." His voice came out hard as steel and he gave the man a dark look while he attempted to fling himself away, but clenched his teeth as the action left him almost shaking.

The pain was starting again.

But he wouldnt let the vampire see his weakness.

"Let me go."

"No,Connor," if anything, Angel brought him closer, his hand compressing more over his son's skin, "something's wrong-"

"-And you realize this NOW?" Came Lorne's voice again, sounding composed, though.

Connor hissed in fury and made an effort to move forward again, but Angel stopped that, almost lifting his boy from the floor to keep him near.

The pain shot through again.

Connor could feel his belly constrict with it, but he held in the whimper that wouldve broken free if it hadnt been for the fact he was still in the presence of the creature behind him.

But Angel had felt it.

He felt the ripple slice through his son's stomach.

"Connor-"

"-Let. Me. GO!" Connor demanded again, displaying the same technique as before, but this time his hit connected. Angel's head snapped back but he held on just the same, instantly recovering and attempting to keep a grip on the furiously snarling boy.

"Quit it! Quit TOUCHING me!" Connor now screamed, trying to fling the hands away, especially the one pressing down on his pain. "I dont want you TOUCHING me!"

"Connor!"

Pain.

His belly clenched again, making him hiss with hurt and bend forward to get rid of it.

This pain was different, though.

And 'he' wasnt there.

Angel looked over, now hearing voices from the hallway. The boy shook in his arms.

"Stop it," Connor gasped, eyes flashing as he lowered more, an arm around himself, but he felt a shiver of horror wash over him and through him, almost masking the intense ache as he questioned himself on what he was actually ordering the monster to do.

Revulsion coursed through as the creature continued to press his cold body up against him, hand never wavering from the spot on his panged belly.

"Something's wrong..." Angel whispered, voice growling with torment as his child twisted and turned in his arms, pounding his fists against the parts keeping him prisoner within the loving and yearning and protective cage. "Whats hurting you, son...Connor, please... Please, son, whats-"

"Angel?" Fred entered the room, Gunn at her side.

"What the hell's happening in here?" The black man asked, looking from the vamp to the pain-filled face of the kid in his arms.

The agony sunk and filled then rose through his body as Connor abandoned his efforts of escaping, instead silencing his grunts of anger at being held so closely, and stared at the floor, concentrative gulps and swallows, as well as his body shaking, the only things giving away the tension now circling throughout him.

Angel strengthened his arms and tried to turn the boy to look at him, but Connor froze his body like a stone and kept in his place, blinking at the carpet as the two new people in the room stepped forward.

"Stay back!" Angel commanded to them, putting one hand up that was quickly returned to the bundle curling before him. "Connor?"

The feeling expanded.

The horrible, afflictive, wounding hurt that ached and burned and slinked its way up his body and to his chest.

Up to his shoulders.

His neck.

His body convulsed within his dad's arms, making the older man gasp in concern and heartache while he turned away, hunching over more.

It tore through him and screamed while he himself couldnt- didnt want to. His legs, knees, thighs, and arms trembled while trying to supress it, forcing the harmful inner touches to dissipate back to where they had come from, but didnt succeed in doing so as his throat then filled and constricted, bile and something else rising. His eyes squeezed shut when he realized he couldnt stop it all from happening and he metally cursed and shrieked at his fingers as they swept across the arm of the worried man that was surrounding him and touching him, grabbing on and clinging as he felt it draining into his mouth.

"...W-Why?" He gasped out, opening his eyes a crack to see some of the pre-liquid dribble out onto the floor. "F-Father's n-not her-e-"

And it wasnt black.

And it wasnt blood.

His body shuddered as he let it loose.

"Oh my God, he's throwing up," the voice next to his ear whispered harshly in alarm as he tried to fall out of the monster's grasp but found the floor itself falling out from beneath his feet as he was semi-lifted and dragged over to the bed.

Quake.

More. Not black or blood, just more of whatever it was inside.

"Why? Why's his body doing this?" The same voice screamed out to the two still standing by the door, but they soon rushed over to join the frightened man as he placed his hands on his boy's small back, turning him to the side so he could drain it all out from over the bed.

It struck him again.

No black.

No blood.

Connor closed his eyes once again in pain and confusion, feebly pushing away distraught and eager hands.

"Oh my God, Connor...Connor..."

_"Stephen."_

The boy gasped as everything faded away to be replaced with a memory of a time just like that one...

But not.

_"Why, Father? W-Why did-" He was cut off by another bout of spasms and more of the putrid smelling liquid poured out from his throat and mouth, filling the air with the stench of blood and dark fluids. He turned away, shaking more though when a large and rough hand rested on the back of his neck. "Why d-did...Father, why do this to me?"_

_"It wasnt done TO you, Stephen," the man replied calmly as he stood next to the stooped boy who was heaving with tears running down his face. "It was done FOR you. Once you heal, you will finally see some semblance as to what you truly are and what you can handle. This was for you to understand," the hand rubbed his neck as he still choked but then gripped him tightly, squeezing the skin and forcing his head up, "and this was done for me, son. To have a guarantee."_

"Connor?...Connor!" Angel gripped him tightly again.

"The kid's a space cadet," Gunn peered into his blank eyes and was about to snap his fingers to show it when the boy blinked and instantly reacted.

"D-Dont touch me!" He threw the dead arms off him, glaring before moving his gaze down to the bed, blue boring into pale sheets. "You...You poisoned me," he whispered now, voice shaking in realization. He didnt know how, but just like 'he' did, the vampire had poisoned him.

JUST like 'him'.

"You're just like Father was," he growled out his thoughts and struggled with his body, almost pleading with it to move, before he was swooped down upon and swiveled to face the shock and worry of his vampire father.

"Wha-What? I would never...I would NEVER hurt you!"

Then the face of pure rage as his chin was tipped upwards. "And what do you mean, "just like he was"? What did he DO to you, Connor? Tell me!"

So much.

The monster was touching so much.

And Father wouldve been angry he was letting him.

Connor tried to shake him off but the vampire only held on tighter.

"Connor?"

Lorne then chose that moment to hesitantly creep in, looking extremely nervous. "Is my life still at stake here? And what exactly was all that about?" He gave a wary glance to the boy but directed his question at Angel, even though it was Fred who answered.

She saw it and smelt it.

And remembered.

"Food poisoning." Angel quickly looked at her, angry mask falling away to shock again but also relief. "O-Or something related to that general area," she stuttered, trying to explain. "He threw up food, as you can see."

"Thats it? FOOD poisoning?" Lorne sounded like he couldnt believe it. "Food poisoning was the cause of all this?"

Angel studied his son and willed himself not to inspect further as the boy faced away from him, body continuing its slight trembling. He then looked over to Fred, features distrusting but voice practically begging for hope. "How do you know that for sure?"

"Feeling insecure about my surroundings wasnt the only reason why I never left my room, you guys. I was sick for days when I first came back but I didnt want to trouble you all with it. It was the change, but mostly just the food. I had been living off practically nothing on that world, and whatever I DID eat, you wouldnt find in your local grocery store. All the food here didnt agree with me at first." Her small smile then flickered over to Connor who was now looking up within his father's arms. "I had the same symptoms- feeling weak, easily full, pain, and nothing would stay down." She then broke out in her overly bubbly cheer. "But that all went away! Everything's ok now!"

"You hear that?" Connor looked up again as Angel gave him a small smile. "Just food poisoning. Turns out your belly doesnt really like you right now," he spoke gently but with a hidden laugh.

A relieved hidden laugh.

His son was alright.

Physically.

"Youre not hurting anymore, am I right?" Fred asked the boy and after a while, he slowly shook his head, gaze never wavering from off his vampire father's face who grinned back lovingly at him. "I always felt better after...Er...Well, how 'bout we clean this up then?" She looked ready to move to it, but Angel quickly shook his head.

"Leave it- I'll clean it in the morning. Im putting him in a different room tonight." However, he hesitantly looked over at his kid for any complaints. "If thats ok with you, though..."

Connor said nothing, still staring.

Staring so much, in fact, and not moving at all, even though enfolded within the immortal's hold, that Angel became instantly worried again, letting it show with a frown. "Connor?"

Silence again.

"Connor, if anything hurts still, you...you have to tell me, son..."

Again, when getting no response, he turned to Fred. "What would make him...What made YOU feel better, Fred?"

"Well, soup. And ice cream! Oh! And a nice hot bath..." She then blushed. "Also, when I had somebody rub my tummy, it relieved the aching there..." She gave the man beside her a knowing smile, who then turned away, coughing and embarrassed.

After all, it was a time when they hadnt even been a couple.

Her words, though, tumbled into the vampire's head and rolled around a bit until one option stood out from the rest. "Rub his stomach? That helps?" He looked down at the boy in his arms as the frail woman nodded.

Angel's hand shook, though, as he reached for the hem of the boy's shirt, still keeping the other arm under his son's back. When Connor didnt react in the slightest, it gave courage to the dead hovering over him.

"Son, did you hear that?" Angel whispered gently. "It would make you feel better...Do you want me to try?" Again with no response, only calm eyes looking up at him as if waiting, his hand kept going, but once under the material and feeling heat radiate from living flesh, a small arm flung itself out and pushed him away.

Connor sat up, face now growing pale.

"C-Connor, I didnt mean-"

"-Dont touch me." His voice was soft and low.

"I-I was only-" Angel was cut off again as he tried to raise himself up also.

"-Im fine."

And not looking directly at any of them, he stood and walked out of the room, noticing with slight satisfaction that Lorne had bid a hasty retreat once seeing the boy move again.

The demon deserved to run.

Angel followed quickly, already at his heels, fearing he would just walk out on him right there and then. "Connor, please, dont leave," he begged but stopped, seeing where his son was going.

To another room.

Not out of the hotel.

Gunn and Fred were behind him as he watched his Miracle open the door and walk in, turning around with a lowered look and dark eyes. "This one," he stated simply and Angel nodded slowly, understanding.

But he didnt step forward.

He couldnt now, anyway.

"Son, I...I cant enter here without you inv-"

"-I havent made my decision yet," Connor said slowly as he turned, but was still looking over his shoulder at the man.

Angel froze, hearing those words, as his child then took that opportunity to walk back to the doorway, staring deep into his eyes again, but this time almost critically.

"I havent made my decision yet." Connor's voice was now emotionless as he repeated it.

The vampire swallowed and nodded. "...Alright." But he thought quickly. "If you need me-"

The door was soundly shut in his face.

Gunn gave a low whistle, sympathy coming off in waves from the woman behind him. "Do I even wanna know?"

But his remark fell on deaf ears as the older man stalked past quickly, fixing everything in his way with a glare as he opened his own bedroom door and slammed it.

Away from them all now, he let his anger resurface, the emotion so strong it racked his undead body and almost made him convert into his other self.

Holtz had hurt his son.

Of that, he was certain now.

_**4444DADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDY**_

**(A/N):_ Sorry this chap took long. And sorry L&F S&S isnt updated yet. _**

_**I spent most of my day (the time I hadda spend on updates but...didnt get far heheh) thinking up an ending for this fik and now Ive got one. I never had one before, sorry...**_

_**But yeah, this has an ending now and its...a surprise haha. XD R&R if u wanna.**_


	6. Destroying the Dangers

**(A/N):_ Song is Destroy Everything You Touch by Ladytron. Sorry the chaps r so late XD_**

**Precious Destruction: Chapter 6- _Destroying the Dangers_**

_**4444DADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDY**_

Climbing slowly out of the bed he had chosen so as the creature nearby, always near, would not hear, Connor silently treaded to the window and looked out, the glow of the moonlight, the thing that protected, and the glow of the hotel's own lights below illuminating his pale and blank features.

It was dark outside.

But so much brighter than the space behind him.

The darkness was creeping in again, surrounding him and trying to lead him away, to bring him back to who he was and what he was suppose to be doing, but instead he was still and quiet, the pain having completely disappeared to be replaced with the emptiness that was before.

Father would be horrified at what he was doing.

Nothing.

He was letting the thing get to him.

The night had confused him. Angel protected the very people his kind fed off of. And he did it for a living.

That fact would have excused his actions in the boy's eyes, but at the club, the vampire had staked the others and got nothing out of it. He instead was smiling and laughing as he killed the monsters around him.

And he had smiled at him.

Tried to PROTECT him.

Comfort and protection, Father warned of such things. Warned of many colors that seemed bright and beautiful.

But...

Father never said Angel was happy.

Father never told him that.

Angelus was a creature surviving under an innocent and beautiful face, a murderer deceiving others by killing off his own to gain friends, human friends, to hide him and protect him when he let the false facade slip and became the monster he truly was again. He was a thing that drank the blood of mortals to get strength, that hunted and tortured innocents because it was in his nature. A nature he approved of and enjoyed.

Thats what Father had always taught him. Angel was truly a monster.

But throughout his whole time staying with the vampire, he saw nothing of that. Angel was happy, chose his face to not scare others, protected and saved, had friends that looked up to him, drank the blood of lower creatures and not humans, and...loved.

Loved the world.

Loved his city.

Loved his friends.

Loved his...son.

A son tormented by the fact the man could love him whilst he was raised and trained his whole life to end the gift of existence the vampire was given.

Father had said Angel tried to kill him at birth.

It was a day ago Connor had tried to kill the monster in return.

And it was a day ago, Angel had professed with pleading eyes that he loved him.

Those words had torn the boy apart. The monster had no right to say them. No one truly knew what it meant to love, especially not the vampire.

He had loved Father and loved to believe the feelings were returned. Father was righteous and had loved a family 'he' lost and took extreme measures to salvage the damned. To purge the sin out of the impossible. In his eyes , that was love. Father had said 'he'would never touch 'his' own flesh and blood in such a way, that 'he' had cleansed the creature that seeped into 'his' own mortal daughter in similar ways...

But

_"You heal, Stephen," the man explained quietly as he reached for the trembling back drenched and streaked in red, "because God is giving you another chance at surviving- at living a life devoid of sin." His fingers finally brushed against the youth, trailing along within the raw cuts and gashes as the boy gasped and whimpered then tried to bite down the welling scream of pain when the person behind him pressed into the wounds. "He is forgiving you by allowing the demon to take control again. And God is giving me another chance as well, son. Another chance to purify you." He dug his fingers in deeper, the warm liquid washing over them as the boy in front of him finally let out his yell of anguish._

_"Father, it hurts! Its hurts, Father!"_

_"I know, my boy, I know." But he didnt stop. _

_"Father, please stop! Stop it!" The tears poured forth now. "Stop, Father! It hurts! Please! It hurts too much!" The pain seared through him, throbbing and engulfing his whole body as the man behind him now had his whole hand covered in the red. "Stop," he sobbed, "STOP! I CANT...YOURE HURTING M-!"_

_/SLAP/_

_Stephen flew forward from the blunt hit, landing in a heap on the ground with his hands flying to his face to protect himself from the rest of the rage, all the while whimpering and screaming in gut-wrenching agony as the dirt and slime and rocks rubbed into his wounds, causing them to burn even more so. _

_"How dare you!" Hissed the dark figure now standing over him. "How dare you speak to me in that way! I am your father and you will NOT address me in any other way, do you hear me, boy!"_

_"Yes, Father," Stephen whimpered, struggling back into his kneeling position but the movement caused his body to quake and his pain to enhance, so he soon became the sobbing child and pitiful thing the man always sneered upon and tried to teach differently._

_Moving forward, Daniel Holtz instead bent low, almost kneeling himself, something the boy had not anticipated in the slightest. In fear, though, he looked up, eyes wide with wary fright. _

_His chin was grabbed and head tipped up._

_"Do you hate me now, son?" His voice was gentle again, so gentle that Stephen found himself quickly shaking his head, in urgency or honesty, he just couldnt tell. _

_"Are you denying because youre afraid?"_

_Stephen shook his head again, this time more vehemently because of the anger coursing through him at his fear being plain to see. His father then diverted his gaze to the boy's back and gave a slow nod at what he saw._

_"The evil has reappeared, Stephen." _

_His body shook again as Stephen turned to try and see over his shoulder, feeling the the wave of tingles prickle his skin in a sign of his demonic healing and also feeling mute horror wash over his features when his healing was almost complete._

_Not as much horror for his body, though, and what was hidden away in it, but for the acts his Father was to later commit- the acts he would have to endure in penance for being the container of unspeakable evil. _

_He turned back as his Father straightened and looked up towards the purple sky of hell._

_"Another day, Stephen. We were both given another day. God loves you, son."_

_And Stephen believed that. _

_Because if he believed God loved him, then Father loved him too. _

_After all, Father was a righteous man, a GOOD man, that saved and loved God and did His biddings, so if Stephen was loved by God, then Father would surely love him to. _

_'He' loved him._

_'He' LOVED him._

_Even as 'he' stepped closer again._

Love was born out of something primal, something that ached, something so raw it hurt, and something that only had existence so it could bring about hate.

He had ached.

He had been hurt.

He hated.

Angel lied. He didnt love, he couldnt. He didnt hate anything. And Connor could never love him, because...

Hate was not found there.

He could learn to hate everything else, everybody else, he could learn to LOVE, but...Angel would never be a part of it.

Because he was going to be destroyed. The thing would die. He would kill it and quickly, in revenge for making him feel this way and think weird things.

For making him question his upbringing and Father's truths and the way he hurt and everything he had done.

There was nothing else to come from this trial of being brought into the vampire's home in company of other humans and set up to look like a child lost then soon found and meant to be loved by a murderer-turned-saint.

Angel would die.

He would kill him. It. Whatever he was and whatever he brought.

He destroyed everything he touched and that had touched him, and Angel would be no different.

Angel would be no different at all.

Though taking a different approach, one that was more cruel and heartless, the vampire would soon enact the same fate onto him just as another father had done in the past.

But Connor feared most the hour the man prove that belief true. Because it would mean he was still existing to do it, and still existing meant Connor had failed.

He had wanted to meet the vampire and he met him; now he wanted to kill the monster and he would do it. Soon. Because anything else meant he was failing.

And falling.

The Destroyer.

He DESTROYED.

Everything sinful. Everything evil.

Angel would be no different.

Connor put his fingers to the cold glass, feeling the nightly chill seep in further.

_With the blazing orange of the sky behind them, three figures cautiously climbed up the deadened hill, one righteous man, one man only knowing an evil language, and one boy trailing behind, a blank look to his features. The two figures in front of him stood side-by-side, gazing down at the large village below._

_The large village that was filled with shrieks and yowls and screams of frenzy._

_Demons. They were all demons. _

_The shaman Raeflin and Daniel Holtz were speaking in low tones in the Quor-toth language, taking no notice, for the time being, of the small child beside them, staring down at all the creatures running amok now with a look of disgust across his dirty face._

_"Here lies the heart of hell, my friend," Holtz was saying, a sneer in his voice. "Watch their time wane thin before us."_

_"Its not them Im concerned about. Like Ive told you, its what theyre protecting that I want. The Orb heightens one's magical gifts. You should only have him kill the-"_

_"He will slaughter them all."_

_Raeflin was silent, still very much wary of the righteous man on his side. He, instead, directed his gaze to the boy, choosing to again speak after a moment. "I only need him to clear the area so I can get the Orb. How should we begin this?"_

_Holtz didnt even look away from the monsters below. "Tell him what has to be done and its done."_

_Stephen, who, along with his father, was still gazing down at the havok the evil things were creating, suddenly bristled as the shaman stood next to him, not turning away from the scene before him though._

_Raeflin noticed. "Its alright, boy, I mean no harm. Im only to fill you in on what you will be fighting." Stephen stayed quiet so he continued, pointing out to random creatures that were attacking each other and others below. "Those there, the grey ones that move like you and I do, theyre called Trukks. Theyre telepaths. Mind readers. They enjoy speaking to their victims before attacking. And they have a special taste for human blood. They'll want to bring it out of you. All of it. All that they can." His hand moved to point out others, but he gave a cautious frown when the boy didnt follow his direction, instead, staring at his finger. "Junkens. Theyre the red-eyed ones. Strong and fast. They like to attack from behind and the sides, never in front. Waste no time in killing them. Jomjoms. They can fly. Theyre not at all hard too destroy. They get distracted easily but theyre springy and like to attack from above. Also, they will carry you away if you are not too careful. Karthaks. Theyre the green creatures. Slow-moving but their touch is poisonous. Not deadly, but you'll be feeling ill for days. They travel in hordes, so-"_

_"-He knows."_

_Raeflin stilled, looking towards the other man in shock. "He needs to-"_

_"-He knows." Daniel Holtz smirked, folding his arms, finally holding eye-contact with the light-haired shaman._

_Raeflin hesitantly nodded, then focused dark eyes onto blue. "Kill them quickly."_

_"I dont take orders from YOU," came the cold reply in English. The shaman took a step back at the tone and the feral snarl now adorning the youth's lips. _

_Holtz suddenly moved past him, stepping right in front of the boy, while putting his large palms onto thin shoulders. Stephen flinched at the touches, the action not going unnoticed by both of the older men. Daniel smiled._

_"Stephen. Remember what Ive taught you. Remember what Ive told you." He paused, his eyes turning hard. "Destroy them all."_

_And Stephen nodded without question, head held high. "Yes, Father." With that, he turned and sprinted down the hill at incredible and unnatural speed, pumping both blades attached to his arm braces as he ran._

_"Why didnt you tell him?"_

_"Tell him what?" Holtz questioned, staring after the boy, arms crossed again._

_The shaman didnt answer that, instead voicing out his own opinions. "On foot, it would take him days to make it through that village alive even at that speed, much less butcher-"_

_"-Massacre." _

_"What?"_

_"Massacre. He will massacre them," Holtz corrected with a knowing nod._

_"He will die."_

_"He will live."_

_"He's just a child."_

_"Ive taught him well."_

_"You seem to hold an unbelievable amount of "faith" in your son-"_

_"He's not my son." Now Raeflin received a glare. "I would never treat my own the way I do him. I kidnapped him and now, Im raising him. He's an impossible feat. An abomination. The bastard son of two vampires."_

_Raeflin gasped, head swiveling to take in the sight of the scampering boy. "Conception from the barren...Thats not...Thats not even feasible..."_

_"He will show you his proof. The proof of what he truly is." _

_They were silent a moment, listening to the screams from below, until Raeflin spoke up again, his initial shock over with temporarily. "Well, either way, he seems to listen to you well. He follows your orders." He tilted his head. "I wonder what his reward is at the end of the day..." All of a sudden, he smirked, raising an eyebrow. "He's a very beautiful boy."_

_Holtz glanced at him, lip curled in obvious revulsion. "Yes, a boy. And like you said, just a CHILD. I know very well of your rituals and I wont have Stephen a part of them. He can be damaged," tainted, mind polluted, desacrated, corrupt the purity of, and made to bleed every night in vengeance to the ones who ironically gave him life whilst they held none themselves, "but not broken." He turned away, not even caring to see the shaman's reaction, and grinned down at the view before him. _

_Stephen had reached the opening of the village._

_"We have been brought a funeral, my friend, a ceremony for the damned. And have now been made to witness Death in its creation. So lets enjoy it, shall we?"_

_**4444DADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDY**_

_Once through the opening, Stephen's arms were raised out in front of him, ready to obliterate anything he came in contact with, and didnt even take the time to see all the chaos before him as he swiftly moved to his first kills- two large hairy beasts already duking it out- ducking in between them, and slicing them both instantly at the same time._

**Destroy Everthing You Touch Today  
Destroy Me This Way **

_He ran, the blood and pieces and putrid liquids flying all around him while he went to the next, hacking at it quickly, and the next, mangling it before slitting its throat. Things, clear creatures with wavering bodies, jumped on him and shimmied up his form as he was practically slipping in evil's gore and he kicked the air, launching the shrieking monsters up, slashing them to bits as they fell._

_Things attacked him from both sides, some recognizable, some unrecognizable due to their own battles beforehand, some not even describable, but it didnt matter, he thought little on it as he bludgened them all to death, hissing and growling in rage as their extremeties splattered onto his already dirtied face._

**  
Anything That May Desert You  
So It Cannot Hurt You **

_He propelled his body forward, scaling crumbling stone walls to increase energy flow and relishing in the screams of pain he heard when they fell and crushed the damned on the other sides. Slice. Slice. Hack. Hack. Pierce. Sever. Slit. Shrieks and howls and screeches shrilled all around him as he sped past, stabbing at them all, and things finally took notice of him, turning away from their previous prey when realizing he was the greater threat._

_They all loped towards the boy._

_But Stephen got to them first._****

You Only Have To Look Behind You  
At Who's Underlined You 

_He continued his bloody rampage, body not at all exhausted but instead trilling with excitement and pleasure as each monster he saw fell before he was even past them. Jomjoms dropped from the trees and off rock pillars, their claws scratching the air in anticipation to be used as they headed for him, but Stephen saw past that, knew stopping was not an option in any case, and sprung high from off a dead Junken's back, removing a knife that was strapped under his animal skin shirt, and spinning as he sliced in half one of the flying creatures looming over him._

**Destroy Everything You Touch **

_Falling back lightly to the ground, he withdrew two small daggers from his leg holsters before he straightened, flinging them with supernatural strength up in the air towards the remaining two, eliminating them efficiently while not even looking away from the messy ground._

**Today   
Destroy Me This Way **

_He did, however, turn to see them fall._

_And to grin as their meaningless lives escaped them._

**Everything You Touch You Don't Feel  
**

_Things ran for him as he shot past, small, hairy, and red creatures scurrying towards him, too low to slash when not in midair, so he sidestepped for the nearest forgotten weapon and leaped up over diving demons, killing them first as he flew down towards the others, the ax hitting home and sticking before his feet touched the ground, so he used the momentum to flip in the air, letting go of the blade, and flung out his arm knives, careening towards beasts backing away in fear. _

**Do Not Know What You Steal **

**  
**_With his heightened speed, he was already half-way through the rotting village, half-way to his destination, his goal, his silent order from his supposed father._

_But it wasnt quick enough._

_Deep down, he knew he was being timed by the man. This was another test, just like all the rest, except now it would be different. This was the turning point- not just a chance at slaying an unbelievable amount of monsters, but a way to prove he was truly strong and truly cunning. _

_An opportunity to show his father all he had learned and that he COULD be saved. He wasnt meant for evil. He was meant to KILL evil._

_Destroy evil._

**Shakes Your Hand Takes Your Gun  
Walks You Out Of The Sun **

_He knew that. _

_And he drilled it over and over in his head as a demon actually managed to catch a hit on him, flicking his head back and jaw clacking together loudly, but he stopped the second punch from connecting, instead swinging wide and retaliating, then grabbing the snarling thing by the throat and dragging it with him as he continued on with his tirade of storming the area and slaughtering anything in his path, but dropping the scraggly beast and stomping on its throat quickly when its screams of terror became almost too loud to bear._

**What You Touch You Dont Feel  
Do Not Know What You Steal **

_He was almost through with the distance, could see a somewhat intact stone temple just up ahead, and was practically annihilating everything gleefully now in his eagerness to reach for something he knew he could accomplish easily, but a movement on the side caught his eye as he ducked a blow from infront._

_A screaming and crying movement. A begging movement._

_A HUMAN movement._

**Destroy Everything You Touch Today **

_He managed to slice his looming attacker then instantly switched his gaze to the trembling woman in the crumbling hut. She was on her knees and sobbing, babbling histerically in Quor-toth tongue, arms wrapped around her disgustingly bloated belly as she rocked back and forth. _

_He stepped forward cautiously, eyes darting nervously all around as he tried to make his voice sound calm. "You can go," he said in English, "It's safe." For now and not for long, since he was the one actually initiating the battle. More things were up front, ahead of him, but there was a clear and bloody path behind him. _

**Please Destroy Me This Way **

_But the lady only looked up from the dirt, still screaming, tears running quickly down her scarred face. "Kill me! Kill me! It hurts! I dont want it! Kill me! Kill me! Please! Im afraid! Im so afraid! I dont want it!" And then she lifted her arms, motioning to her belly, sobbing almost without breath now as Stephen finally realized what exactly he was looking at._****

Destroy Everything You Touch Today 

_Not a bloated stomach. _

_A pregnancy. _

_He almost reeled back in shock as she continued to shrill. "Kill me! Kill me! Please kill me! Kill me! I dont want it!" _

**Destroy Me This Way **

_And as that comment finally sunk it, he froze, gaining a hard look quickly. _

_How could she not want her own baby? _

_"Where's the father?" He was running out of time. He would have to do this quickly if he were to get them all out unharmed. "Where's the father?" He repeated louder when she turned away again, moaning in pain, holding herself. _

_"Kill me kill me kill mekillmekillmekillme-"_

_"The father!" Stephen suddenly yelled, leaping over to grab at her arm almost roughly. She looked up and stared into his wide and bitter eyes, her own filling with new tears._

**Anything That May Delay You **

_"Monster," she croaked out, not understanding his language. "Monster," she repeated, pointing to her belly then at the doorway behind him. And in the doorway was the large black dead demon he had just recently gotten rid of. "Monster. Kill me. Kill me," she responded quietly now in both their horror, sounding as if she would drown in her own tears._

**Might Just Save You**

_Stephen let her go quickly, pulling his arm back as if he had gotten burned, but not a split-second later, a sickened grimace appeared over his features._

_"Kill me kill me kill me kill me..."_

_He reached out towards her again._

_"...Kill me kill me kill me kill m-"_

_Then with a wet thunk, he pulled back a last time, turning away quickly from the sight._

_Evil had been growing inside her with no way out. It wasnt even possible to live through the birth, either one of them. _

**You Only Have To Look Behind You  
At Who's Underlined You **

_He kept telling himself that as he walked away, back into his awaiting chaos, fresh blood now splashed on his cheek and neck._

_She hadnt been that much different from him._

_Evil growing from within._

_Evil INSIDE._

**Destroy Everything You Touch **

_As he ran, blood covered him._

_Blood coated him._

_He slit and slashed, yowls ringing in his ears, walls falling all around him, but not once did he think about detering from his goal. _

**Today   
Destroy Me This Way **

**  
**_He had promised his father. _

_And the promise was now right in front of him._

_Surrounded by guards. _

_Karthaks_

**Everything You Touch You Don't Feel  
Do Not Know What You Steal **

_The unarmed green demons puffed out, heads held high, trying to seem intimidating as they were finally faced with the boy that had almost completely ravaged the village of its spawn._

_Stephen stepped up the cracked slabs of the shrine, walking now only to have the advantage. The things looked at him cautiously, bodies somewhat relaxing as he made no other move, until one came forward, now cocky and deciding to taunt the human child before attacking._

_But Stephen had waited for that all along._

**Shakes Your Hand  
Takes Your Gun  
Walks You Out Of The Sun **

**  
**_The other Karthaks didnt even see how their leader was hit, the body slumping to the side and green blood flying everywhere, and before they could even gasp in realization, Stephen was upon them, noticing them all in a straight line and making one long and fatal swipe, he severed them all through the stomachs at the same time. Their bodies all flew back by his force and fell, showing him his prize. _

**Once You Touch You Dont Feel  
Do Not Know What You Steal **

_A translucent orb, its inside swirling with light, mounted on a rock stand. _

_Stephen hated magic, hated even more the humans that used it, but at that moment, he reluctantly understood the pull of it, the calling. The piece of shiny stone was beautiful, awing in fact, and almost soothing as it glowed with the power it held._

**Destroy Everything You Touch Today Please Destroy Me This Way **

**  
**_He went to it, feet shuffling forward almost on their own, and picked it up, eyes transfixed as he held it in his palm, and so entranced by the soft light, he failed to react to the flicker of movement on his right._

_But stiffened at the green hand suddenly around his throat. _

**Everything You Touch You Don't Feel  
Do Not Know What You Steal **

**  
**_And counterattacked just as quickly._

**Shakes Your Hand  
Takes Your Gun  
Walks You Out Of The Sun **

**  
**_"Here is your death, child." _

_Stephen's upper lip curled at the word directed towards him as the last remaining Karthak took in the appearance of the one that had killed all of his kind from the village. _

_Stephen stared up at him calmly, eyes hard. The Karthak almost frowned at that._

**Once You Touch You Don't Feel  
Do Not Know What You Steal **

_"Do you not fear me?" After another moment of silence and thinking the boy was again not going to respond, he opened his mouth._

_But Stephen beat him to it._

**Destroy Everything You Touch Today **

**  
**_"Why should I?" He said slowly, then grinned feral, showing his teeth as he hissed. "You're already dead." A quick second later, the monster looked down at his belly, finally seeing the pale arm sticking through it then sliding out with a bloodied blade. _

**Please Destroy Me **

_Stephen uncurled the claws around his throat himself as he sneered at the appalled evil who soon collapsed on the temple's floor before him, before gazing down at his prize again and tossing it lightly in the air, suddenly not feeling a care in the world._

**This Way **

_**4444DADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDY**_

_Daniel Holtz stared out from atop the hill, noticing with slight sliver of pride he couldnt extinguish so easily that the screams from the demon-infested village below had decreased drastically._

_And that nothing had escaped. _

_He looked over his shoulder, eyes narrowing in annoyance as he saw the thin shaman moving around again. "What are you doing?"_

_"We need to set up camp," Raeflin muttered, bending down to chisel magical symbols in the dirt with his spear-shaped wand. _

_"There's no need."_

_"Its getting late."_

_"Well, if you truly insist on wasting your time..." Holtz sneered at him disdainfully as the shaman knit his brows, finally giving in and standing up to join him at the edge._

_"He will not be here by nightfall...if he even makes it back alive at all. You are being blinded by the fact he has youth on his side-"_

_"-Not just youth." And pointing, Daniel Holtz proved that statement true._

_Stephen had finally emerged from the village, albeit it moving slower than usual and body not at all carrying weapons like he had done so going in. But that wasnt what had the English holy man frowning in thought and eyes crinkling in confusion._

_Stephen was walking casually away._

_And in the next instance, he had blinked completely out of existence._

_Raeflin gasped. "He's vanished." He looked around quickly, growing alarmed. "Have my eyes deceived me?"_

_"No," Daniel replied quietly, not understanding himself._

_That is, until he heard the snap of twigs and slight rustle of dead leaves from behind them. He turned around slowly, already expecting what he'd find. From beside him, Raeflin had frozen._

_"Stephen."_

_The boy stood before them, body oddly relaxed and gaze slowly traveling upwards to meet their own, his eyes almost unnaturally dark. _

_Holtz took in the sight of the child, noticing with a small grimace the blood and gore seeping off the vampire offspring. _

_The shaman gulped, his voice shaking. "H-How did he move past us?" He turned away, looking down at the carnage below where a primal and thriving village once stood as Daniel congratulated its young eradicator._

_"Well done, my boy," he said, deciding to await and accept the small smile of delight and gratification from the child that was surely to come, but Stephen did nothing and said nothing, continuing to just stare blankly at them both, not even moving. _

_And the Englishman was shocked to realize he was almost unnerved by the look alone._

_"He didnt kill them all," Raeflin suddenly spoke up. The older man turned to see what the shaman was talking about. "Those two there," a thin finger indicated. And sure enough, a pair of Sarbins, deep orange, hairless biped-like creatures, were fleeing from the entrance, their bodies torn but legs pumping quickly to enhance the dire escape. "All but two though," Raeflin marveled in awe nevertheless, "and in such a short-" _

_His sentence was cut off as he gasped._

_And the two monsters screamed in sinc, feeling the wrath of their own demise._

_Holtz caught the sharp flicker of movement from the corner of his eye and a split-second later, it was all over._

_The Sarbins both gave one final cry before falling together, a large rod sticking out of their chests and pinning their bodies together, blue liquid exploding outwards._

_The end of the shaman's sharp wand protruded from their backs, thrown with such a force, it had penetrated them both, even as they ran._

_Holtz tensed, turning back to the boy stiffly. _

_The younger man beside him was completely slack-jawed, facing the youth already. "The Destroyer," he breathed out, whether in fear or awe Daniel couldnt distinguish. "This child is the Destroyer. Never have I known...SEEN such destruction. Such beautiful destruction..."_

_The holy man, however, was not so thrilled. "Stephen," he said somewhat cautiously, holding out his hand. "Stephen...Give it to me."_

_Again, he was answered with a stone face and silence._

_"Stephen," his voice rose to commanding, "give it to me. Now."_

_Raeflin frowned at them both. "What are you-"_

_"Stephen," Holtz cut the other man off. "Do not disobey me." _

_The vampire's son twitched at that, finally blinking and starting to come around. His eyes widened and he stammered, becoming embarrassed soon after for his weakness. "I-I feel...weird." Powerful. Too powerful. _

_But it was also frightening._

_"I know, my son," Holtz nodded, fixing him with a hard look. "Its because of what's in your hand. Now give it to me."_

_Stephen tilted his head, feeling strangely unsure, but this was Father, his mind silently told him, pleaded to him, there was nothing to question, so he glanced down before opening his palm, and heard the shaman cry out as the small object was hastily launched into the air._

_The vampire hunter caught it easily and gave a small knowing grin to the man beside him._

_The shocked, shaken, completely astounded, and silently hysterical man beside him._

_"I believe our...arrangement was this?" He held up the glowing orb. "And just as I assumed- you did nothing to earn it." But he cast it over anyways, watching almost amused as the shaman practically leaped high in the sky just to touch the thing._

_"Nothing to earn it?" Raeflin questioned after a moment of trying to gain control of himself, sounding insulted. He clenched the ball tightly in his hand. "Our accord was for me to lead you safely to a village for your child to slay and in return, gain its most valuable artifact-"_

_"-Id say we outmatched you, then." But Daniel turned away from the glare to give a small, pleased smile to Stephen._

_A smile that quickly turned into a cold look._

_"Come here."_

_The Miracle Child instinctively obeyed, flinching noticeably as an aged hand gripped his thin arm roughly. _

_"What's the matter with your hand?"_

_Stephen looked down, finally seeing the large green blotch himself. His head was forcefully shoved upwards soon after and neck turned quickly to the side._

_The grip tightened in anger._

_Both men could now clearly see the green marks in the shape of a claw wrapping around the pale throat._

Connor absently fingered the spot as he remembered.

He had been sick for days, sick with a poison from a demon's touch, and just thinking about it, mulling it over in his head, he was suddenly overcome with a cold chill as he realized Angel was no different.

A demon's touch.

Poison.

Banishing the sudden bout of uneasiness away, though, he reached forward again, gripping the knobs of the window and lifting up, a crisp gust of wind cooling his skin as it easily opened without a sound.

_**4444DADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDY**_

"He's a fucking killer."

"Lorne!" Fred reproached the telepath as if astounded by his language. They had gathered downstairs, the evening's events jarring them all into restlessness.

"Sorry, let me take the time to beep out my words while I try to sustain a living life force here...He's a fucking killer. BEEP. " Lorne shakily lifted his brandy to his lips. Fred frowned at him as Gunn just stared at them both. "Now that I have the time to think rationally and NOT fend for my health," Gunn rolled his eyes at that part, "I'll let u kiddies in on something. I didnt need to read that...that terror-tot to know what he was planning to do. He was gonna kill my booty from the moment he laid eyes on me." He gulped down his alcohol. "And he wouldnt have even blinked. Quor-toth changed him. That child isnt what Angel thinks he is- wants to BELIEVE he is. I dont even think...I dont even think he's human anymore, and I dont mean the literary sense."

"If Quor-toth changed him, which would be understandable, it was HELL-"

"Yeah, it wasnt summer camp," Gunn interjected.

Fred continued, speaking slowly. "If it changed him, then we can change him back. Angel can. I know he can. He loves him and he's Connor's father..."

"But is it enough?" The green demon questioned them both solemnly. "His kid's been completely brainwashed by a madman. And we dont even know what it was like in there. What that boy's seen..."

"Definitely not no summer getaway..." Gunn murmurred again, staring down at his hands as he tapped away on the hotel's main desktop.

Fred shook her head, now looking troubled. "We shouldnt be discussing this. It's Angel's business-"

"-When Angel's 'business' concerns us all, not to mention wants to KILL us all, we have every right to atleast voice our opinions," Lorne said, refilling his glass.

A silence fell over them all after that.

And not one of them heard the vampire quietly stalk out of his hotel, a creature blending in perfectly with the night.

An angry angel with very acute hearing.

_**4444DADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDYDADDY**_

**(A/N):_ Yeah, so u see, I was spose 2 get this out before I left for N.C. (HICK STATE!) and Im really sorry I didnt. And wow, was this chap long. Only one more chap 2 go, then Im just gonna hiatus this and work on my others, but Im still making wallpapers for this, so dont get 2 pissed off... backing away slowly_**

_**R&R if u wanna. My Heat Wave 1-shot will be out next. **_

**No one read below this unless u want major spoilers for L&F S&S!**

**To Terra Fea:**_ SO LONG! IM SORRY! READ IF U WANT! ITS EVERYTHING U NEED! (I think)_

_Ok, I decided to answer your question here (using almost correct English WOW) kuz (oops) answering it on L&F S&S's page would just be stupid and the people that like guessing would have it out for me, so I hope you're reading this._

_I explained, when I started the fik, I seriously had no plans for it at all, I just wanted Connor back up that elevator and into Angel's arms no matter what, so I did that. _

_And I wanted this fik to be about them being happy and kinda mushy, which is so true (NOT INCEST!)_

_The fik's AU, yes I know._

_Dormon and Emily and Val arent even the peoples's real names, yes I know that too. I just cant see big skary LAWRENCE. Thats a stupid name. Colleen is stupid too. I never did listen to the girl's name, so..._

_Anyways, ok, now like before, I just made this fik to satisfy myself on Angel and Connor, I dont care about W&H or how insane and warped Wesley is slowly becoming because of Fred's death, or that Cordy should already be dead and Gunn in pleasantville hell. _

_Connor and Cordy never happened._

_All that aside, I'll just let u in on everything Im working to, so spoilers spoilers, but u sound like u need them, so here you go._

_This all started out in the mall where Connor was rampaging and getting suicidal and Angel wanted to save him so desperately, so he accepted the W&H deal on that alone, slit his son's throat to innitiate the spell, and handed Connor over. That all I kept true._

_Now my story. My AU story. _

_The spell. Yeah, that wasnt the end of it. In my fik, there is much more needed then just a simple stroke to the throat. I just ended that as a spell to not "kill" Connor but leave him blissfully unconscious for a while. Angel didnt know that._

_Lilah had to seal everything away._

_She sealed Quor-toth, meaning all of Connor's heavy-duty training by Holtz, hence his rustiness at things he should be superior in._

_She sealed his psychosis. NO MORE SUICIDE-CONNOR. He needs room for happily-ACCEPTING Connor. So that was sealed._

_She also sealed his HATE, the thing that drove him to everything. Psychosis and hate are not the same. Hate can drive the most bubbly people dangerous again. But Connor's hate was too strong, so when that was sealed, it wasnt dormant (like my ex power-stealing-now-out-window-demon buddy found out) it just became another of him locked away in his dreams. _

_Its coming out now kuz Angel's back in the picture. Inner Connor both HATES and LOVES Angel and hates W&H for how theyre using his father, but of course, regular Connor cant feel hate at this moment, so inner Connor's growing stronger and stronger. The blood pouring out regular Connor's nose is proof that he's (inner) real, but regular Connor is kinda dumb right now and only cares about being with and being loved BY Angel, so he just shoves everything aside, also due to the fact he can so easily accept stuff. I explain that in the next 2 chapters..._

_Ok, so easily accepting Connor plus Dormon, his "father", equals bad. _

_The story of Emily and Dormon._

_Dormon, big drinker, big druggy (I also have Angel finding out later Dormon worked for W&H but got fired kuz of his constant passing out drunk hahahaaa funny funny I know. Evil lawfirm firing him kuz of something ...kinda...normal..., but thats towards the end) C'mon, you cant expect the "evil empire" actually putting Connor with great saint-like people, even if they DO want to hold good to their deal. Which they did. _

_You see, the Lilah Im working towards is slowly unraveling things for them, hence her finding the Rileys. Why should she hafta work when she's dead too? Yes, thats basically it on her part. She helps on that simple fact alone, which I explain later, so she placed Connor with that family fully knowing it would all dissolve later on and FAST._

_U see only Connor can end it. Quor-toth in his blood. Quor-toth is sealed away though. Quor-toth fire is the only thing that can make a W&H binding contract truly burn._

_LILAH WANTS FREEDOM! I explain it all in later chaps._

_Emily Riley, beautiful mother of 2 children and wanted by all men, especially Len, and Dormon's ex (and buried in the backyard) friend, who was Emily's young professor in College._

_Emily is the most gentle person alive, very sweet, very naive, its all how I planned it, so she's easily taken advantage of. Dormon seriously does love her and she believes that and loves him just as well. Love is warped. She cheated tho, technically not her fault kuz Ive made her just so damn weak. Drowned out the sounds with Led Zeppelin even. Just wow. I seriously dont know where that part came from. _

_Yeah, so she cheats, has Christopher, then by Dormon, Valerie, but of course schools and crap need those special things with blood and all no matter how many times you can avoid it, so Dormon was let on Chris wasnt his. ANGER! ANGER! Ok, Chris's daddy was kinda honest, he let it known Chris was his, Dormon freaked, killed him, Emily was wrecked but cant do shit, and everything was a secret. But Chris not being his pissed him off so much, he abused him and finally went so far with it, he "accidentally" killed him. More trauma on Emily's part kuz at that moment she was being raped by Len (not screaming kinda rape, but just like I showed)_

_So dead son and rape almost drove her insane but WHAMO, Angel's spell is cast and Connor appears. I guess Emily could be in denial. She luvs Dormon, remember, and doesnt want to believe shit, so she tries to just erase it all. Connor is her son._

_But its all falling apart kuz Dormon still remember's "Connor" isnt his and Emily cheated. Emily's dumb tho._

_I explain all this later, no worries._

_O WOW THIS IS LONG! SORRY!_

_Ok, so Len. Yes, Len, doesnt remember the whole "rape" thing or even lusting after Emily as bad just like Dormon doesnt remember killing Chris._

_Connor is in the pik. Len likes sex no matter where he gets it from, going out with lesbians for instance_

_( well, one kinda lesbian and one bi that was his girlfriend anyways), Connor is beautiful like Emily says and we all know (ME! I THINK HE'S BEAUTIFUL!), Len doesnt want Emily now, he wants Connor. Thats just plainly it. He wants him badly kuz he hasnt had him yet. He's had Emily. Sick sick man he is._

_So yes, thats basically it. Chris is dead but a spirit, Lilah did a second spell to lock him away, actually within W&H which she now knows wasnt smart but it fits her plans, knows that Dormon killed him, knows Connor's there at the house, cant do shit either now, kuz he's locked away._

_Connor is kinda happy, except for the dreams, later including Cordy kuz her power is premonitions after all and seeing things that cant be seen, which inner Connor is doing, hence him knowing stuff he shouldnt or the scene with Angel and Connor cuddling and Angel so worried about him (which is a scene that happens later on)_

_Ok, so yeah, Connor and Angel bonding, Connor goes back to the Rileys during the day, Dormon is trying to keep him there by all means possible, first yelling and later (next chapter actually) slowly sedating him._

_After Christmas, the real abuse starts kuz Emily and Dormon should be staying at Emily's sister's house for the whole holiday times, but Dormon goes home and orders Emily to stay with her sis (basically so he can terrorize Connor without Emily being there)_

_So there we go, Angel is left completely in the dark until its 2 late. Connor doesnt want Angel to find out kuz it very well could "kill" the vampire as we all know._

_Oh, and Dormon thinks Connor and Angel are gay. He's a big homophobe. Len thinks it too, but he's jealous. Dormon doesnt know Len goes both ways. Len likes sex, remember. Sex in any forms, man or female, but Connor is his newest "goal." Other than this weird tale I spun out, I luv Angel and Connor moments, so I create alot of them. Get rid of the story if you dont like it and only read for Angel/Connor moments kuz they'll definitely be there. I know the fik is weird, but it has to be done now. I seriously just love the fuzzyness of father/son stuff. The sequel is really mushy too, which I so like XD. And the story-line for it is way simpler, even tho I luv the complex characters I created (TIER'MIDC IS SO KOOL!)_

_Now, after all this, if you want the ending to this fik, just tell me again and I'll give it to you seperately. Also, I'll give you my sequel's summary._

_Again, sorry this was so long!_


End file.
